What Is Meant To Be
by o0oChaoticBeautyo0o
Summary: Dear God she's alive? The spell is broken now and Rumpelstiltskin and Belle are reunited. Are the flames of love still burning within them? My take on how the show ended. Rated for later chapters.
1. Reunited and Memories Gained

**Author's Note: **This the re-upload of the the previous chapter because it has come to my attention that there was a typo in the last one and that was grating on my nerves. Therefore, it needed to be fixed! Here you go! Again, if you see any please please please PLEASE let me know and I'll fix it.

**Disclaimer: **Well obviously I don't own Once Upon A Time else this would be the ending.

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How long had she been in this room? This asylum? Young Rose had no idea as she pondered on those thoughts whilst sitting on her cot with her knees held tightly against her chest. Her chestnut curls were a right mess and her clothes felt dirty and harsh against her soft skin. Like many times before, Rose let loose a long sigh and unfolded her legs to get up and pace a bit in her cell to stretch her legs for a bit. She looked up to the three rectangular windows that lined the ceiling of that wall and longed to be able to peer outside of it and see some semblance of life. Something other than these padded walls that resonated misery and solitude.

A creak.

Rose looked to her door and saw the lid covering the viewing window on her door lift and was met with the smirking face of the Mayor. Like always, Rose felt a twinge of fear go down her spine as well as a deep resentment for her though she could not explain the resentment in the slightest. Only that she knew that there was something about this woman, something she did that Rose could not ever forgive. If only she knew what!

"Here to check on me again?" She said, not bothering to hide the frustration and cold tone in her voice.

Regina could only smirk more when met with that tone. God how she loved to torment her little prisoner, especially when Regina could see the resentment in the young girl's eyes. The delicious part was that the young thing had no recollection why! "You know I care for your well-being. Your father asks about you often."

"Then why did he send me here?" She all but shouted, feeling the tears pooling at her eyes but refusing to let them fall. "Why have I been locked up here?"

"Tsk tsk, you know why dear. You started to believe in a world that didn't exist. Started acting out and growing frantic. You even started to harm yourself just to get his attention. He only wanted to help you." The lies rolled off of her tongue with absolute ease that Regina almost believed them herself. Almost.

Frustration curled Rose's lips into a sneer and she approached the door slowly. "But I didn't do this to myself! Do you really think I'm capable of doing this," she drew up her sleeves and lifted her shirt high enough to expose her stomach, "to myself?" Long, angry burn and knife scars ran down her arms like veins, only stopping just a little before her wrist. There was more on her stomach and crisscrossed each other in such a frantic and random manner that Rose was sure she was struggling with all her might when it happened. Her wrists and ankles also bore deep scars as if she had been bound by something and she had struggled like hell to get out of them.

Regina kept her face set in an expression of pity and knowing, shaking her head once. "You did do it Rose. Your father had to pin you to the floor to stop you from doing it anymore."

"But I don't remember doing this! I know there isn't a fantasy world and I know I'm not Belle!" She hollered, tears slowly starting to stream down her face. "Please just…just let me go. Let me go I promise I won't act out again."

"I'm sorry sweetling, but until you admit that you did those to yourself and truly believe what you're saying – because I can see it in your eyes that you still believe it – you're going to have to stay in here." She slowly began to close the lid then, trying to bite back her sadistic giggles as she heard Rose cry out in protest. She turned her back on the door and smirked as she walked back, her heels echoing across the halls as she did. She looked to the nurse as she passed at the desk, "Your patient is acting out again. Sedate her."

"Yes ma'am." The elderly nurse said as she began to prepare the sedative.

Back in the room, Rose pounded on the door for a few seconds before collapsing in front of it in a heap of tears. She covered her face and sobbed into her palms as she shook her head in denial. This was wrong! This was so wrong! So what if she believed in her young mind that she was Belle? Isn't that what little girls were supposed to do? Pretend that they were Princesses and act out the stories? How was that a reason to lock her in a damn insane asylum for years? Ok sure so she was 15 years old at the time and maybe a little too old for fantasies, but she always had an overactive imagination! And the scars, Rose couldn't bring herself to believe that she did this to herself. She just couldn't! They were so angry, so deep and so many and a person as gentle as she could in no way shape or form do this much damage onto others let alone herself. "Why? Why did you do this to me father?"

The door opened and Belle looked up with fear to see the nurse there with the needle that put her into a sleep she couldn't force herself to wake up from. "No! No please don't! I'll be good I promise!" She had crawled to the farthest corner of the room and curled up into a ball, trying to shield herself away from the nurse.

"Struggling only makes it worse Rose you know that." Already the nurse had Rose pinned down and pressed the needle point into her thigh.

Regina stood in the middle of the stairs, a Cheshire grin on her face as she listened to Belle's whimpers and cries fade away into silence.

That had been months ago and still Rose's predicament had not changed. Every now and then Regina would come to visit but Rose didn't make a big deal out of it. She would only stare at the woman with a look of defeat and anger, but said nothing more.

Now she lay on her side, her mind wandering to the fantasies she used to have as a child that became more prominent in her teen years. Just as the supposed reason she was said to be put in here, Rose saw herself as Belle but not in the way that Disney movie portrayed it. No, in Rose's fantasy Belle was a princess and was the most beautiful one in the kingdom. She was smart, wise, and analytical and often-times the one her father would go to for advice. Gaston was still the handsome brute, but he ended up being her fiancé because of an arranged marriage and a member of her father's court. In her fantasies she imagined that the kingdom was in the midst of a war and they were losing badly. Ogres…right…that's what Rose pictured them to be. Nasty, ugly, sadistic, murderous ogres. It seemed fitting.

Now, Rose had no idea how she had come up with this, but there existed a creature more fearsome than any in the land with the power to save her kingdom from the terrors of their enemy. She made it so that that great being able to help them was the fabled creature Rumpelstiltskin. Again, breaking the rules of Disney fairy tales but Rose always liked to make her own stories and making Rumpelstiltskin the Beast in her version of Beauty and the Beast seemed much more appealing to her than some spoiled pretty-boy prince turned animal.

Rumpelstiltskin, as he was fabled to do, had made a deal with her father the King. He would protect the kingdom and grant it peace and keeping Belle forever was his price. Her father had immediately rejected the idea followed by her fiancé, but Belle knew that she had to do this for her kingdom, for her people and their safety.

She had stopped him from leaving and told him that she would go with him. Her father could only make a sound of anguish while Gaston haughtily stated that he forbade it. What was he? Her owner? Her Belle would feel anger and annoyance at the brute but would calmly tell them that she decided her own fate, no one else. Just like that, the deal was struck and she belonged to Rumpelstiltskin forever.

While in his grand castle working as his caretaker, she had grown to see past the green-gold lizard like texture face of the beast that kept her there. She saw him, truly saw him and the tender, loving and caring heart that he kept locked away from the rest of the world. Somewhere along the quips, quick glances, slightest of touches and laughter they had fallen in love.

Yes…this was Rose's fantasy but she could never get past what happened after her Belle would realize that she and Rumple were in love. Her brow furrowed as she tried to reach into her imagination to come up with the happy ending she knew she should have but was interrupted when she heard her door open. What? Lunch wasn't due for another hour or so. She turned and looked up to see a man she had not seen in her room before.

"Come to me." He commanded gently as he reached out to her. Rose reached for his hand and allowed him to help her up, her grey-blue eyes lit up with confusion. "Who are you?" She asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"My name is Jefferson and I need your help to do something that I can't." Jefferson gently held her arms as he spoke, looking directly into her eyes. "There's a man, his name is Mr. Gold. Find him. All you have to do is tell him where you've been and that Regina locked you up."

Rose's head was reeling from the words he was telling her combined with the shock of the possibility of being able to leave. It was all so much at once and she was having a hard time processing anything. "Huh wha – wait…what?"

"It's very important. Mr. Gold is going to protect you but you have to tell him that Regina locked you up. He's going to know what to do. Do you understand?" Jefferson was frantic, desperate and angered all at once. Regina had jipped him out of the deal once again and this time he was going to make sure that she paid for it and what better way to hurt Regina than to unleash the fury of the most powerful man in the world – or rather Storybrooke - on her? Yes Jefferson had known for some time due to his spying on the people of Storybrooke that Regina kept Belle locked up in the basement of the hospital. He never once said anything before because, well frankly, he didn't care. But now that Regina had tricked him once more and he knew that Emma was a believer now the curse would be broken and everyone would remember. His Grace…his Grace would be his once more. And Rumpelstiltskin would return to his former glory and unleash a fury so great unto Regina for what she did to Belle. He was sure of it.

Rose could only nod to Jefferson and stutter out, "Y-yes I-I have to find Mr. Gold." She was in shock at the important bit of news. She was free. She was free to leave her room! Free to finally roam the town once more!

"Remember. Find Mr. Gold. Be sure to tell him that Regina did this to you." Jefferson repeated once more, stressing out Regina's name and looking to her urgently. Rose nodded once more to assure the man that she heard what he was saying despite her shocked state. He nodded to her and gently pushed her out the door. "Then go. Quickly."

Rose forced herself to move and took the first step out of her room after 10 years.

Mr. Gold, or rather Rumpelstiltskin, was a very patient man for he knew that patience and meticulous planning would always win the day and it had indeed done that. After so many years of waiting and waiting, he finally had the means to bring magic back into the world. Finally be able to have the power of the Dark One once more and be the most powerful being in the land. It was so close…so close he could almost taste it.

In the office of his shop, he opened the golden egg he had Prince James throw into the belly of Maleficent. Inside was the small bottle containing the purple potion of True Love. He picked it up gently and examined it, his lips turning up into a small smile as he did so. Yes…so close.

Rose had wandered the streets for some time looking around her in awe. So much had changed since she last remembered. The shops looked considerably larger, but then again it had been so long since she had been out of her room and had grown so used to the small 8x4 cell she had lived in.

She looked upon the town with a soft smile before she remembered that she had to find Mr. Gold. Jefferson said that he would protect her and for some unknown reason Rose believed him. What if her father found her out and about, free from her cell? What if Regina did? A tremor of fear raced down her spine. They would immediately throw her back into that dreaded cell and there was no way she was going to let that happen again.

She passed by Granny's and looked up to see the sign that said _Mr. Gold's Pawnshop_.

'That must be it.' She told herself and pressed on, her hospital shoes already soaked from the puddles on the streets and her feet were so wet and freezing. She paid no attention to it and pressed on. She put her hand on the door and pushed open, the sound of the bell ringing out across the shop.

Gold heard the bell ring and immediately pocketed the potion into his pocket and grabbed the golden egg to hide in a chest on the desk behind him. 'Damn it all who is it now?'

Rose looked about in awe of the many things she found in the shop. Puppets, old clocks, globe models, and trinkets of all sorts. If she wasn't afraid of any of the two afore mentioned people finding her, she would have fed her curiosity and looked upon everything and studied every detail.

She looked past the counter and saw the curtain that could leave into another room. "Hello?" She called out shyly, making her way back there. She entered to see a man with his back to her and slowly approached him. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Gold?"

Gold sighed and forced himself to remain calm as he began to turn around. "Yes I am but I'm afraid the shop's closed." The last word died on his lips as he stared at the fair face of a maiden he thought he'd never see again. 'Belle? My Belle? No…it's not possible_._' His world crashed around him and he stood stone still for but a few seconds as he stared at her.

Rose looked to the man, confused by the expression on his face. He looked so lost, so shocked and so…heartbroken. Not only that, but she was in shock as well for the man before her was practically Rumpelstiltskin from her fantasies. In fact, if she didn't know any better, she would say that he is Rumpelstiltskin!

She shoved those thoughts aside and looked to him, "I was uh, ta-told to find you and to tell you that Regina locked me up." Rose hated the way she stuttered but quickly masked her embarrassment with the resentment she felt for Regina as she let the name fall from her lips, leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

Gold could only stare at her, all sorts of emotions tearing through his heart. Joy, confusion, agony, regret, guilt and so much more all jumbled together and sending him through a mental tornado. It was her…it was his Belle! No it couldn't be. Couldn't possibly be his Beauty. She had to be a ghost, an apparition of sorts. A trick. His Belle was dead.

But still he takes note of her disheveled form and sees her solidly standing there, staring at him with confused eyes. Can it be true? Can she truly be here? Alive? Gold was barely registering anything she was saying, only taking utter joy in the soft sound of her lilting accent and gentle voice. He began to approach her slowly, slow and dragging as if he were a zombie.

Rose could see that the man was obviously going through something and her presence was what was causing it. Not only that, but she felt, somewhere deep inside her, that she's been waiting for this moment just as much as she imagined him to be as well. That this moment, right here, was the unexplainable one she craved for on long lonely nights in that cell. Some nights she yearned for it so much that at one point it even brought her to tears and made her hug herself as she rocked back and forth on her cot. There were some nights she felt as if there was truly someone out there waiting for her that she'd look up to the windows of her cell and sob. "Come for me." She would cry to herself, "Come for me. Find me. Save me from this place. Hold me again…please." She'd foolishly believed that her voice could be carried away by the wind and sob to it. "I need you. Please…take me away from here."

Yanking herself back to the present, Rose looked to the man and gulped down the nervous lump in her throat. "Does that…that mean anything to you?" My God he looked like he was about to cry and it pulled on her heart strings.

"You're real?" He breathed out as he reached out to gently grasp her shoulder, needing to assure himself that this was not some sort of dream and that it was really her in front him. When he felt her small, solid shoulder in his hand he nearly collapsed to his knees from relief and joy, lame leg be damned! "You're alive?" His voice cracked and he stepped back to look at her, finally truly seeing her bedraggled appearance. "She did this to you?" White-hot rage coursed through his veins as he had images of his Belle locked up somewhere dark and dank and in such poor wear by the hands of that wretched cretin! Rumpelstiltskin was never one for outright violence but right now the notion of marching right up to that smug face of that wench Regina and literally tearing her apart limb from limb seemed very, very appealing.

But aside from those murderous thoughts, his eyes took in her appearance and his heart broke all over again. Her chestnut ringlet hair that was usually so lustrous and smooth now looked something akin to straw. Her clothes were ratted and filthy and he could see that her feet and pants were soaked from the puddles outside. And her eyes…her beautiful…cerulean eyes that would make the clouds and sun in the sky wish to dwell within them were now faded to a dull gray. There was no life in them. _My God Belle…what has happened to you? What did Regina do to you?_

At his touch, something registered in Rose's mind. A distant memory…fuzzy but she could very vaguely see the man standing before her, only it wasn't him. He was different but like the man in her fuzzy memory, his touch was also quite hesitant. Terrified. As if the mere touch of him would send her running or something of the like. It was just a glimpse, so short and quick that Rose had no time to even register it. So she only pushed it aside and looked up to Mr. Gold with a hint of hesitancy. "I was told you'd protect me."

Oh Dear God…it was her. His Belle, his sweet, loving, compassionate Belle. "Oh yes." He practically sobbed out as he took her into his arms, holding her tight and sobbing softly into her neck. "Yes I'll protect you." He'd protect her with his very life, with every fiber of his being and with every inch of his soul. He had lost her once and he'd be truly damned if he were to ever lose her again. He had told her to leave once before and every day after that he had regretted it more than anything in the world, right up there with losing Baelfire. No, never again. He would never again let his Belle walk out of his life.

Unexplainable heavenly warmth flooded Rose and once again she was struck with that familiar feeling of having waiting for this moment. His arms felt familiar and his scent brought with it a strong sense of nostalgia. Who was this man truly and why did Rose have a feeling that she knew him from another time? Another fuzzy memory raced through her mind of her falling from a high place and these seemingly same arms caught her and held her with such strength. Now more confused than ever, she shook her head and pulled back to look up at him. "I'm, I'm sorry. Do, do I know you?" The haunted look on his face, the tears glistening in his eyes and falling down his cheeks, Rose regretted pulling away from him nearly instantly. It was like not being able to touch her was torture for him, like all he wanted to do was hold her and never let her go.

Oh how astute young Rose was.

Pain stabbed Gold in the heart when he remembered Regina's damned curse. Of course she would not know who he was and what history they shared and he was somewhat thankful for it. She did not remember how cruel he had been to her; she would not remember how he had shaken her and yelled in her face. Young Belle before him would not be able to recall how he had tossed her love aside like the coward he was and told her that his ridiculous power meant more to him than she did. Even to this day, recalling that those slanderous lies spilled forth from his very mouth left a horrendous taste in his mouth and increased his self-loathing.

He swallowed his sobs and looked to her. "No. But you will." He stated with such promise and determination. Emma was a believer now and she was sure to break the curse soon. Belle would remember him then and he only hoped that she still felt for him as she said she did all those years ago. That fear still lingered within him at her memories coming back. What if she was still angry with him? What if she resented him for throwing her out and into the cruel arms of her supposedly loving father? The very thought shook him to his core. He wouldn't be able to take her rejection. No no no that would just destroy him.

Rose could see that something was clearly tearing away at the man and it made her heart scream with compassion for him. What could have possibly happened so tragic to him that her mere presence seemed to undo him? Wanting to comfort him, she reached out, hesitant at first and gently grabbed hold of his arm. "Alright. Thank you." What else could she possibly say? What could she possibly say that could offer any form of comfort to him? Rose wished she knew that way she could stop that look on his face that was practically breaking her heart.

Gold looked to her, resisting the urge to hold her in his arms once more and nodded. "There is no need." Rose smiled at him once more and was about to say something when a wave of dizziness washed over her and she stumbled backwards, bringing her hand up to her forehead. "Whoah…" She mumbled softly, latching onto Gold's arm as she tumbled backwards. Gold held onto her, worry evident in his eyes as he steadied her, taking a step forward and ready to catch her if she fell.

"Are you alright?" He put his hand up to her forehead and could feel a fever coming on. "You're starting to get warm." He looked down to see that her feet was soaking wet and she was no doubt about to come down with a fever. "Come on, we need to get you out of these wet clothes. My car is right outside; I'll take you to my home."

Rose could only nod as she leaned on Gold's good side and together they made their way towards his car. The world was spinning slightly and she felt hot and cold at the same time. Oddly enough, she was finding much comfort in his arms and the worry he clearly had for her touched her on a level that she thought ludicrous. She just met this man for goodness sakes! How could every little action he do affect her so much? It must be because she was locked up for so long she told herself. She had been bereft of another's touch or voices save for Regina and the occasional nurses. Yes, that was it.

"Here, careful now." He helped her into the passenger seat of his car, gritting his teeth against the pain it caused in his bad leg. Once she was settled in he moved to the driver's seat and immediately sped away towards his house. The drive was quiet and he glanced over at Belle every now and then to make sure that she was still conscious and well. She was and continuously staring out the window with weakened wonder, amazed at the sights she was seeing. God where did Regina keep her? How long had she been there for her to find simple trees so wonderful? Oh but then again, this was Belle and she was the type of girl who found wonder in even the smallest of things. It was one of her attributes that he loved most about her. His Belle, always able to find the light in the darkest places she was.

Rose looked over at him and stared at the man helping her with curiosity. He did know her but apparently she didn't know him yet according to what he said earlier. "Jefferson said you would protect me. Why did he know that?" She asked softly, her voice already sounding a bit rough.

Jefferson? The Mad Hatter? Oh yes Gold knew him well back in the days when he was better known as Rumpelstiltskin and he glanced curiously at her. "Jefferson? How do you know that name?"

"He's the one who let me out. He told me to find you and that you would protect me. Why did he know that? Do you know him?"

Gold wanted to thank the man right now if he could, but he also knew that he was in debt to the Hatter. Being indebted to someone was not a feeling that the great trickster enjoyed, but he forced himself to abide with it for Belle's sake. Jefferson had let Belle go free and for that he was to make sure that Jefferson received his debt payment in full. "Yes I know of him." He was silent for a moment longer as he contemplated on a way to answer her question without giving too much away. "Let's just say that you are someone quite…precious to me. Jefferson knew that I'd do anything to make sure you were safe." His voice was soft and broken in some spaces as he spoke.

Rose's eyes widened slightly at the sincerity and passion in Gold's voice. "Precious to you? If that's so then why don't I remember you?"

Gold's lips turned into a feral snarl and his eyes darkened with rage. "Regina. She did something to you and now you have forgotten. I promise you my dear that I'll take care of it. She will get her due." Although part of his anger was unjust. It was, after all, his curse that Regina had used in order to make all of this happen. Of course he _never_ would have allowed this to happen if he knew that Belle was still alive. Another slam of guilt and self-hatred hit him and he tightened his grip on his steering wheel so much that it made his leather gloves squeak with protest.

There was so much anger in his voice and the look on his face was so frightening that Roes felt a twinge of fear, but inside knew that this man would bring no harm to her. She didn't know how and was rather uncomfortable with why she did, but Mr. Gold would never lift a finger to harm her.

They arrived at his manor a few minutes later and Rose was still feeling pretty weak, but had gained back enough energy to be able to walk a bit more on her own. "I'm alright." She assured Gold as he stood by her with his arm outstretched, ready to catch her if she fell. He hurried up the steps and opened the door for her, ushering her inside. She looked around the grand and majestic house with awe and looked to him, "This is your house? It's beautiful." Again that smile lit up her face and her eyes sparkled like the Northern star. It was enough to make Gold's heart spin rapidly and he could only give her a small smile in return. God how he missed that smile of hers.

"It's a roof over my head." He shrugged, "Thank you dearie." He motioned up the stairs and helped her up slowly. "I have a guest room up there where you can get dry, bathe, change and rest."

She looked to him with an arched brow and a slight smile on her lips. "Do you keep women clothing up there Mr. Gold?"

He only smirked in return, "I might have something up there that I have collected."

She was not expecting that answer and giggled softly, the melodious sound taking the breath away from him. "I can only imagine the poor girl from whom you took it from."

"I wouldn't worry about that." He whispered softly as they reached her door. He pushed it open to reveal a rather lavish room with a four-poster bed in its center. The soft yellow curtains were pulled back to show the mahogany headboard bearing intricate carvings – of what she could see behind the small hill of satin pillows – of a vine with roses that crisscrossed to and fro. The footboard adored the same rose pattern as well. The room seemed as if it were made for her with the yellows, blues and whites that filled it. The bed itself was layered with sheets of gold and sky blue and varying pillows of the same colors. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she looked around and soaked up everything she saw. The last thing to catch her eye was the deep, cherry wood floors and how the darkness of the floors only made the brighter colors in the room stand out. Simply put, it was beautiful. "Some guest room…" And it seemed very familiar, as if she had been here before. Her brow furrowed with confusion as she tried to place the memory.

Gold chuckled softly at the awe upon her face. This room was precisely the way her room had been when they had lived together in his castle. It was one of the rather munificent gifts he had bestowed upon her when he had realized that his little caretaker was meaning more to him than he had intended. She seemed to recognize it but at the same time confused as to why. That gave him pause and he felt iron grips squeeze his heart. Did she remember? Oh God if she did…

Clearing his throat to grab her attention, he motioned to a door in the room with his cane. "The bathroom is through there and over there," he pointed to the mahogany dresser next to the large windows that no doubt led to a balcony, "is where you'll find your clothes. The bathroom should hold essentials for you." He looked to her then, hesitant to leave her alone but knew that he couldn't very well help her undress and bathe. No matter how deliciously tempting that sounded. Almost as instantly as that thought came, Gold banished it to the recesses of his mind. He berated himself for daring to think such lustful thoughts about the young girl. God it didn't matter what life he was in, he was still and truly a monster.

Belle gave him a thankful look as she took her hands in his and squeezed them tightly. "Thank you. For everything." Did he just look afraid then? Then, without thinking, she leaned forward and placed a friendly kiss upon his cheek hoping that would dispel whatever silly fear he seemed to have around her. What threat could she possibly pose to him? Another rush went through her and yet another fuzzy memory surfaced to her conscious.

A genuine smile on a blurry male face that normally bore an expression of manic, teasing and mockery. A soft giggle from him as well and with such warmth in his onyx eyes.

She blinked twice before pulling back and ducking her head shyly, her cheeks now sporting a rosy blush. "I uhm…I should go bathe now."

"Yes right. I'll be up with tea and soup soon." He managed to say after he remembered how to talk. He stepped out of the room and gently shut the door behind him, staring at the air before him as he registered what had just happened before slowly making his way back down the stairs.

Rose looked to the door for a few moments, biting her lower lip as she did so and wondered why in the world such a simple act of kindness stirred such strange emotions within her. Shaking it away, she began to strip her clothes off and gently laying them across the footboard of the bed. She then proceeded to the bathroom and gasped once again at the sight of it. It was gold and white and there were red roses painted along the walls and tiles of the room. A shower had taken up an entire corner of it with a tub beside it with jet tubes within them.

Man did Mr. Gold know how to live! Though, she wondered why he would go to such extremes for a guest bedroom. It seemed an awful lot of personal touches had gone into this for it to simply accommodate a guest. Mysterious and puzzling indeed was the man who had taken her under his wing. She found herself more intrigued by him by the second and made a mental note to ask him a few questions later when he came back up. But for right now, that hot shower was really sounding amazing right now.

In the kitchens below, Gold was surprised at how easily his hands were able to brew the tea and make the chicken noodle soup considering how they were shaking a great deal. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Belle was very much alive and for the most part healthy. Did she really endure the tortures that Regina told him? Or was that all some sick plan of hers to weaken him and defeat him? He dreaded to think that they were both correct because if so…Mr. French deserved more than the beating he had given him that night in the lodge. Much, much more.

He looked to the tea and soup on the silver tray and couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the situation. The Master was bringing the Servant tea and soup. But then again, Rumpelstiltskin had stopped seeing Belle as his servant long before that fateful day when she had kissed him and he had tossed her so carelessly into the dungeons.

He sat back in his chair and groaned into his hand, moving it up to grip his forehead. Guilt and regret slammed into him and washed over him like ice water as he thought back to that night. He never should have let her go. Never should have told her that his power had meant more to her than she ever would. Lies. Every last bit of it was lies and her departing words had been right. He was left with nothing more than an empty heart and a chipped cup.

He remembered the kiss she had given him earlier and his hand moved to graze his fingertips over his cheek, the spot still burning from her lips. His eyes fluttered shut as he recalled that glorious moment and smiled softly. Her taking his hands into hers was enough to steal his breath and make his heart race, to have her kiss his cheek would have nearly made him faint had he not forced himself to stay awake. Ludicrous…he was the Dark One and though he may not possess the great and terrifying power of the Dark One he was still a feared and respected man! A man known to be cold with his deals, uncaring to the welfare of others and sought out only for the benefit of himself.

Oh how the heads of the people of Storybrooke would reel if they knew that a simple smile from one woman was enough to render the man, the beast defenseless. Even now Gold looked up to the ceiling and imagined Belle in the shower with the steam of the hot water filling the room. Desire and Lust raced through him so quickly it left him winded and he couldn't help but groan softly as he felt a certain part of his anatomy twitch to life after so long. It hurt but the pain was welcomed as Gold shut his eyes and forced his body to calm down. Belle…beautiful, beautiful Belle was in his house and currently taking a shower in a room not too far from him. She was well within his reach…

"Rumple old boy get a hold of yourself." He chastised himself as he picked up the silver tray and balanced it on one hand as he made his way back up the stairs.

Belle stepped out of the shower with a refreshed sigh and slicked her hair back before wrapping the soft emerald towel around her body. She opened the door to the bathroom to let the steam out and shivered at the cold air that met her body. She already felt better than before, but still a bit dizzy. She made her way to the closet and opened it up to find a single, blue dress inside. "How odd…" She pulled it out and proceeded to put it on, slipping it on as if it were hers. She smoothed out the fabric on her bodice and turned to look at herself in the mirror of the vanity table next to the bed. It fit her like a glove and Rose couldn't shake off the feeling that this dress was hers. There was no way it could be hers for Rose couldn't recall having ever worn it, but she just knew it was. Just as she knew that Mr. Gold was sure to protect her.

"This is getting stranger and stranger by the second. I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone." She muttered to herself as she used the towel to dry her hair and sat down at the vanity table beside her bed, picking up a brush to comb out her chestnut hair. As she did so, she noticed that the short white sleeves left her arms bare and therefore her scars were very much visible. She frowned then, setting the brush down and trying to tug down the sleeves so as to hide it. She immediately felt silly for doing so because there was no way such short sleeves would be able to hide her entire arm.

She felt self-conscious as she hugged herself and rubbed her arms. 'God I hope he doesn't stare at me or is repulsed by me_._' Now that was odd indeed. What did she care if he was disturbed by them or not? What did his opinion matter? Even as she told herself this she knew that for some reason she cared about how she looked in his presence. Like some teen girl wanting to look good for her crush. Rose shook her head at the ludicrousness of it and went back to brushing her hair. "Silly thought. Rose stop thinking so much."

A knock on the door made her turn. "Are you decent?" He asked through the door, making Rose giggle a bit before nodding.

"I am. You're safe to come in Mr. Gold." She continued to brush her hair even as he entered the room. The smell of the soup and tea hit her and instantly her stomach began to growl. "Oh Mr. Gold, it smells delicious!"

Gold paused as he entered the room and saw her wearing the blue dress she would always wear when she had worked for him. It caused a surge of happy and equally painful memories and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of it. "I uhm…I brought you this." He set the tray on the bed and made sure it wouldn't tip over before looking to her again. When he did though he noticed the long and angry scars on her arms as well as the heavy scars about her wrists and his brow furrowed with shock and concern. "Where…where did you get those?"

Rose noticed the way he looked at her scars and she immediately felt self-conscious, ducking her head and refusing to meet his eyes as she fiddled with her skirt. "O-oh these? Uhm…I was told I did them to myself. But honestly I don't remember."

Gold had made his way to her side of the bed and was now sitting on it, gently reaching out to grab hold of her arm and hold it up to his face. Oh he knew…he knew exactly where these came from and that knowledge served to boil his blood once again.

'Maurice I'll kill you.'

But even as his mind raced with murderous thoughts, he could not help but feel guilt consume him as he imagined his poor Belle locked up in a tower and being tortured like this. He could hear her screams in his mind as they pressed the hot iron to her skin and flayed her flesh. Had she screamed for him? Had she called out his name in hopes of him coming to rescue her only to be met with cold disappointment?

"How…how many more do you have?" He asked quietly, his voice squeaking softly as he fought back his own tears once more. Oh the pain she must have endured…

Rose was confused and touched by the concern and care he showed for her and could only shy away from his gaze. "O-on my stomach. There are more, and around my ankles too."

"Oh God…" The words fell from his lips in a hushed whisper as he shut his eyes and brought her arm to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on them as he did so. "Oh my dear girl…I'm so sorry." His eyes were shut tight as guilt and pain wracked him like ping pong paddles and he hung his head as he did so. God how did he ever let this happen to her?

Rose could see that her scars pained him and she felt her heart go out to him. A part of her nearly melted at the kiss he gave her and she wondered just how precious she was to him. A shiver had raced up her arm as she felt his cold lips press against her scarred flesh and her eyelids fluttered for a moment as she felt it go down her spine. Something had begun to churn at her center and it made her squirm just a tad. "I-it's alright. It's not like you did it."

Oh how wrong she was. If only she knew…if only she remembered. He may not have been the one to put the hot metal to her flesh, but he might as well have. He opened his eyes to look at her and sniffed, blinking away his tears and nodding before letting her arm go. "Here." He turned around and dragged the tray towards him and brought the cup of tea to her. "Drink this. It will help make you feel better."

Rose took the cup and sipped it, happy to see that it was chamomile tea with honey and milk. Her favorite. "This is my favorite. How did you know?"

His only response was a shrug along with a half smile. No matter what name she went by or what memories she believed to be her life, she was still his Belle and she had always loved to drink this sort of tea at the end of each night.

Rose studied him for a few moments before taking another sip and gently setting it down on her lap. "You told me that I was someone precious to you. Just how…precious am I?" She was hesitant in asking, but she couldn't take it anymore. The fuzzy memories, the way his touches affected her, his continuing show of concern and care for her…she just had to know. "Were we…" she gulped, a rosy hue adorning her cheeks and she suddenly found her tea cup much more interesting. "Were we lovers?" The last word died on her lips, but it was loud enough so that Gold could hear her.

That last question gave him such a start that he nearly dropped the soup as he was bringing it to her. His eyes widened and a slight blush came to his cheeks as well as he took a moment to try and remember to breathe. He shut his eyes for a moment and gulped down the lump forming in his throat, willing himself to remain calm and composed. As both Gold and Rumpelstiltskin he was known for never panicking or losing control of his temper. But when it came to Belle, all bets were off. The woman just seemed to have a special ability to rattle him unlike any other.

He cleared his throat and looked to her and replaced the tea in her lap with the soup bowl. "Not…not exactly."

Her eyes widened a bit then as she looked to him, not paying any attention at all to the soup. "Then…were we in love?"

Damn this woman and her insufferable need to question everything! Always the curious one she was, but Gold loved that about her. He let out a shaky sigh as he met her eyes. "I don't think I should be telling you this yet. You need to rest and regain your strength."

"I'm fine really. Please tell me?" She took the bowl and set it on the vanity table and turned to fully face him, her eyes pleading him.

His brow furrowed, "Why is it you need to know?"

"Be-because!" The bravery she felt before at asking the questions now faded beneath his look and she brought a spoonful of soup to her lips, delighting in the feel of the delicious broth running down her throat. She gulped back a lump and spoke softly, refusing to meet his gaze. "Because whenever you're near…and when you touch me…my heart races."

That gave Gold pause and he felt his own heart race at her words. He made her heart race? If only she knew what she did to him! If she knew the rush and warm sensation he felt whenever he saw her near and touched her. His head was reeling at this information and not for the first time around her, he had no idea what to say.

Rose listened on to his silence and that, alone, answered her question. But she could also tell that it made him extremely uncomfortable. Even though her mind was racing with a thousand and one questions, she didn't want to push him. It tore at her, but she opted to change the subject just so he would stop fidgeting. She looked out the window as she sipped her soup, "It's beautiful here, much better than that cell."

Thankful for the change of subject, he looked to her then. "Did Regina tell you why you were put in there?"

A haunted look came over her eyes then as she focused on her soup. She was silent for a moment, contemplating on how she would word this. How was she to tell him this? The truth she supposed…what else was there? She wasn't entirely adept at lying. "She told me that I was put there by my father. Because I started to…to believe in another world. That I was someone else in another place." She gulped and mentally prepared herself for his jests and mockery.

On the contrary, that only made Gold's eye widen and he leaned in more, desperate to hear the rest. "Another place? How do you mean?" Could it possibly be that she did remember? Was she able to resist the effects of the curse? So many questions befuddled him but one was the most complex and confusing of the rest.

How?

He could see that she was hesitant, probably afraid that he would mock her but she was so wrong. Hearing this gave him hope. "You can tell me. I give you my word that I will not mock you dearie."

Dearie. There was that little pet name again. Another surge of memories and Rose had already become so used to them that now she expected it, especially when he was near. The fuzzy memories were starting to become a little clearer, but there was a sinister voice inside her head telling her that these were lies. Her imagination running wild and nothing more, and yet she felt as if the voice was lying. It couldn't be simply that if they happened so frequently and in between such short time spans.

Biting her lower lip nervously, she decided to trust him and continued on with her tale. She told him of how she believed herself to be the princess Belle and of the deal made to save her kingdom. She told Gold of how she made the beast to really be Rumpelstiltskin and how the two of them gradually fell in love. She looked to him then, exceedingly embarrassed but oddly feeling relieved that she was able to tell someone who seemed to genuinely be interested in hearing it. "I have only been able to imagine it that far, beyond that it just turns into a blur and for the life of me I can't figure it out. It's my story; you would think I'd be able to do so."

Gold listened silently to her tale, his hope and anxiety growing with each word she spoke, but he kept his face stoic and only nodded here and there to let her know that he was listening. She told their tale; spoke of their story and with such clarity that he wondered how she had ever seen that as a fantasy and not a reality. That must have been the reason Regina kept her locked up in this world. Her so-called fantasy was actually their reality and he knew that Regina knew that if he was aware of Belle being alive then the Queen would be in trouble. Alive _and_ capable of resisting the curse? That would've signed the death sentence for the all-mighty Evil Queen once and for all. She was right because as his hope for Belle to recover her memories grew, so did his rage at Regina. That wretched, evil soul! Gold had plans for her and by the end of it the emptiness in her heart would be nothing but something akin to a pricked finger upon a thorn after he was through with her.

"That…that is what she told you?" He breathed out; unaware that he was hardly breathing the entire time.

Rose looked to him with puzzlement. Did he actually believe her? "Y-yes and she's not wrong. I did believe I was Belle and…" she tilted her head then as she looked to him in a new light. "To be honest, you look just like Rumpelstiltskin from my fantasies. Amazingly like him actually. You do not have his skin tone, his sandy, curly hair or his eye color…but I swear you must have been plucked right out of my mind. It's rather…unnerving."

Gold stood from his seat then, limping over to the window with his hand over his mouth. He stared outside, searching his mind for a way to respond to this calmly. He could try and convince her that it was memories she spoke of and not a fantasy. Try and explain to her Regina's curse and what it did to everyone. The trouble was how to do it for it was obvious that it had been burned into her mind that it was a dream and nothing more.

As he stood pondering, Rose looked up to him and was now a little more than confused at how long he was thinking about it. "You don't really believe that do you? I mean, it was a fairy tale I made up as a kid. Right?" Why was she evening questioning it? Of course it was a fantasy! There could be no other explanation. Then again, a part of her felt that no it wasn't and that it was actually her true memories trying to push through…something. But that was impossible right? There was no such thing as magic and beasts and such. Right?

Unable to linger on that anymore, she turned to look at him and slowly rose to her feet. She ran her hands over the fabric of her dress and looked to him. "Mr. Gold? Is this…is this dress mine?"

He spoke softly, unable to face her as he kept his gaze locked outside the window. His tone was almost as if he were in a trance, not entirely there at the moment. "It's a spare you had made."

Unbeknownst to the two of them that at the hospital right now, Henry was pronounced dead. Emma and Regina were there; both in tears and agonizing over the death of the boy they called their son. Regina could only stay back, her tears pouring down her face as her mind screamed out in rejection over and over again.

Emma did not sob, but tears fell down her face rapidly as she approached the bedside of her son whom she had barely enough time to be with. He was pale, deathly pale and there was no sign of that brilliant smile she was so accustomed to seeing on his face. Her lower lip trembled as she reached a shaky hand up to brush aside the boy's chestnut hair. "Henry." Her voice shook and cracked as she forced herself not to sob. She pushed his hair aside and leaned forward, whispering softly to him. "I love you Henry."

With that she placed a tender kiss upon his forehead. As she did so, there was a great gush of wind and the tingly feeling of magic was high in the air and spread out across the town. Everywhere the citizens walked, they all paused as the illusions of the curse faded away and to be replaced with the right memories.

Everyone was waking up.

The wave had hit the home of Mr. Gold and just as it did, Rose stopped and stared down as a sudden gush of memories surged to her mind. She remembered everything. Everything from her childhood in Avonlea, the fantasy which wasn't a fantasy and then the Queen tricking her, Rumple's rejection and then him casting her out. She remembered her father thinking her to be mad when she told him of her care for Rumple and remembered how he had her locked up in the tower and "treated" her for her "madness."

Gold pulled out of his thoughts when he didn't hear Belle answer. What he saw somewhat frightened him. She was staring down at the carpet with wide eyes. "Dearie? Dearie what's wrong?"

Rose…no…Belle paid no attention to him as her memories came surging back to her. She remembered being locked up in that tower and then suddenly the Queen appeared to her. She said that she would take Belle away from here and in her desperation, Belle agreed. That was when Belle had been locked up in the dungeons of the Queen's palace and was forced to watch through a mirror how Regina lied to Rumpelstiltskin and told him of her death. She watched in agony as Rumple wailed and cried with a sound that no human could ever make.

"No!" She had cried out as Regina stood outside her cell, laughing with glee at the pain she was causing. "No Rumple! I'm here! I'm alive! Rumple!" She banged her small, bruised and bloodied fists on the glass in an effort to somehow capture his attention. To let him know that it was all lies.

"It's no use _dearie_." She said with a smug tone, mocking the nickname that Rumpelstiltskin used for everyone. She smirked smugly and crossed her arms over her chest. "He can't hear you."

Belle sobbed against the mirror, her hands pressed against the glass and watched through blurry eyes as her love sobbed and mourned her loss. She turned angry eyes to Regina, "Why? Why did you do this?"

"Oh it's simply really." Regina replied as she flicked her hand carelessly, "To prove a point." She crouched down slightly and practically growled at the poor girl. "Love is weakness. A poison and a disease and I have proven that it can make even the most so-called powerful man nothing more than a simpering weakling." Regina had left Belle then, laughing as she did so. "Enjoy your new home Belle!"

"Dearie?" He had a grip of her arms now, shaking her gently to try and break her out of whatever trance she was in. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she tilted her head slightly to the side, a sound between a sob and a sigh falling from her lips.

"I remember."

Gold's heart practically leaped up to his throat as heard those words. He stayed stone still, the corner of his lips twitching as he listened to her.

"I remember everything." Her eyes began to turn glassy as tears formed and she reached out shaky hands towards him, gently grazing her fingers against his cheeks. "Oh Rum…" She sniffed and her lower lip trembled as she held back her sobs.

Immediately when he felt her touch upon his face, he leaned into her hand and reached up to place his hand over hers. "Belle." He whispered softly, locking his gaze unto hers. "Is it…?"

Belle nodded feverishly, smiling and made a sound that was a mix between a sob and a laugh. "Yes it's me. Rumpelstiltskin you impossible man you." She stepped closer to him, their bodies barely an inch apart now. "I love you."

A loose sob came out of his lips in a short gasp as he wrapped his arms around her and practically crushed her small frame to his, leaning heavily on his good leg to alleviate the pain in his other. But that pain didn't matter now. "Yes. Yes, and I love you too Belle." He finally confessed his voice cracking as he did so. He blinked back his tears and only rocked her gently from side to side. "My Belle…my beautiful Belle. Can you ever forgive me?"

Belle laughed softly as she pulled back and wiped her tears and leaned up to kiss away his. "I'll make you a deal." She smiled impishly at him and giggled when she saw the surprised look on his face and put her finger to his lips. "I'll forgive you if you tell me right now that you were lying when you said that your power meant more to you than I ever did."

Rumpelstiltskin laughed softly at her proposal and brought his arms tightly around her waist. "Deal." He took a moment then to gaze into her eyes, looking over every part of her and in awe of just how perfect she was. All at once it seemed the luster in her hair had returned, there was the slightest rose hue to her cheeks and her eyes now glowed with that lovely cerulean color he adored. How could a being as perfect and beautiful as her ever fall in love with a man like him? Granted he didn't have the grisly appearance of the Dark One in this world, but even so.

He finally settled to cup her cheek and whispered softly to her, "I was lying when I told you that. I only said that to…" his lower lip trembled, "oh God Belle you were right. I was a coward. I just couldn't bring myself to believe that a woman like you could ever bring yourself to love a monster like me."

Her heart soared as she heard him speak the words she knew that were lurking all along in his heart. Belle wrinkled her nose at his choice of words and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle. "See that's where you're wrong. I didn't fall in love with a monster. I fell in love with a foolish, lonely man."

Rumple could only laugh and agree with her. He was a foolish and lonely man. "I was, but now I have you and I'm never going to let you go again. If you'll have me."

"Of course I'll have you. You already have me."

Rumple thought his heart would explode through his chest.

"Here, let me help you with that." Emma said as she helped Henry put on the shirt he had come in with.

Henry laughed as he pushed his mom's hands away. "I'm alright really." When he finished putting on the shirt he looked to her with a soft expression of criticism. "So it took me nearly dying for you to actually believe?" His tone held no malice as he spoke to her.

Emma shrunk a bit and gave an apologetic look. "Sorry kid. But hey, you're alive now right?"

Henry rolled his eyes and hopped off of the bed and faced Emma. "Right. Speaking of which, where did the Evil Queen go?" He looked around, surprised to see that the woman he had called his mother for so long was nowhere in sight.

Emma scoffed, "Hiding if she's smart." It was then that Emma noticed that even though she had broken the curse, everyone was still in Storybrooke. "Henry, I don't understand. If I broke the curse then why aren't they back where they belong?"

That also had Henry very confused and he noticed the nurses and Dr. Whale still hanging about. "I don't know." They met each other's gaze and shrugged. "Maybe there's more to it?"

"Maybe." A sudden idea came to her as she gathered her coat. "And I know just who to ask." She began to walk out the doors followed by Henry. "Sneaky slimy little imp. I have a bone to pick with him anyway."

Henry followed after her, having to jog to keep up with her long and fast strides. "Who are you talking about?"

Emma kicked open the doors to the hospital and headed towards her yellow beetle. "Rumpelstiltskin."

Emma wasn't the only one who was headed to find Rumpelstiltskin. In fact Mr. French, or King Maurice rather, was already at Gold's pawn shop. "Rumpelstiltskin! Where are you?" Maurice had checked the basement of the hospital first, remembering from his false life that he had agreed with the Mayor, Evil Queen, to send his daughter into the asylum for her mental health. It wasn't a far cry from what he did to her in their kingdom, but it was just as bad and left Maurice with a hole in his heart just as it did before.

When he saw that her cell was empty he just knew that that beast was to blame. He had captured his daughter yet again! Time had passed and the injuries that Mr. Gold gave him were now healed. They were in a land of no magic therefore Maurice had nothing to fear. Take away the magic and power of the Dark One and Rumpelstiltskin was nothing more than a wiry, thin thing of a man whom Maurice firmly believed he'd have no problem throwing to the ground.

When he found no sign of his daughter or the beast in his shop, he knew the next place to look was the beast's large house near the edge of town. He stormed outside and got into his car, practically speeding down the streets towards Gold's house. He would get his daughter back. He would get her back and show her that this infatuation she had for the beast was nothing more than a dire sickness and he would finally find a way to cure her once and for all.

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**Author's Note:** So yes reviews? I'd love the feedback!


	2. The Most Powerful Magic

**Author's Note:** Yet another re-upload due to finding some typos and mistakes after re-reading it. I hope this is better and if not please please PLEASE let me know and I will fix it right away. I cannot stand typos so please tell me if you see any. Thank you.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned OUAT it'd have to be on HBO not ABC's Family

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They had stood there hugging for what seemed like hours before they both ended up laying down in her bed on top of the covers and just being content in holding each other close. Rumple was still very hesitant in being so close to her, afraid that he'd scare her away or something of the like. Belle had noticed this and huffed, "Rum stop it already and relax. I didn't shy away from your touch as the Dark One I surely will not shy away from you as a man."

He gave her an apologetic smile and moved to kiss her temple. "Apologies dearie. Old habits and all."

"Well break it." She giggled as she finished the last of her soup and set it back on the table. She turned in his arms then and lay on her stomach, holding herself up on her elbows. "When did you remember?"

He leaned his head back, unable to tear his eyes away from her as he recalled those years ago. "For the longest time I didn't. But then when Emma, our savior, bore her son Henry all of my memories came rushing back. You see, I had my own little loophole to the deal Regina and I made so that I would be one of the first to receive my memories."

Belle giggled and shook her head at the man's ingenious thinking. "Always 3 steps ahead of the game aren't you?"

He responded by twirling his hand in the air and giving her a smirk just as he used to when they had lived together in the castle. Being reminded of that, Belle suddenly bit her lower lip and creased her brow with confusion. "Rum, I have a question."

"I might have the answer." He replied, his voice reverting to that high-pitched tone she was so used to and had missed dearly.

She giggled softly before moving to lay her upper body against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. She leaned her head back to gaze up at him. "Why was I able to resist the spell?"

His brow furrowed as he thought about it. After only about a few seconds it had finally dawned on him and he shook his head at his own carelessness in not seeing it before. "Do you remember your words to me when you made the deal?" He had wrapped his arms around her and idly ran his fingers through her long hair.

It was her turn to furrow her brow as she reached back into those memories, separating it from the ones Regina had planted in her from actual reality. "I said…" her eyes brightened, "I said I would go with you forever."

He nodded as he gingerly slipped her hand into his and squeezed it softly, holding it to his shoulder. "Yes. Forever. Do you recall what the Queen said to you about my curse as The Dark One? What was strong enough to break it?"

Belle could see the disgust and hate roll off of him and she laced their fingers together, softly rubbing her thumb against the web of his hand. "She said that True Love's Kiss would break any curse."

Her gentle touch calmed him and he smiled softly down at her. "True Love is the most powerful magic in the world. So powerful that no curse that the Queen or I could ever cast so as to resist it." He gulped and hoped that he didn't come off too arrogant as he started to make his point. "When I made the Dark Curse I dropped just a small bit of the True Love potion I had made on it."

The wheels began to turn in Belle's head and she was slowly starting to see the picture. Her eyes brightened as they always did when things became clear. "Our deal said I was bound to you forever and since because you are my one true love – ."

"You were able to resist the curse." He finished for her.

She laughed at the ingenuity of it before her brow furrowed with confusion again. "But…you cast me out. Does that not affect the outcome?"

The reminder of that day lanced his heart with pain once more, but he stifled it as he answered her. "The power of magic lies in the power of words. When I told you that I didn't want you anymore…I didn't mean it."

Belle smirked as it finally clicked and she squeezed his hand tightly. "So the magic didn't work and I was bound to you. When you remembered I was able to fight the curse back."

He nodded and reached up with his free hand to run the back of his knuckles down her cheek. "The Curse shifted for you, the memories changing to accommodate my memories."

She laughed and shook her head and leaned her face into his touch. "Always 3 steps ahead."

"I'd like to think 5 steps dearie." They laughed together and then their gazes locked once more. A crackle seemed to rip through the air as Rumple unconsciously found his eyes gazing at her lips. She noticed and she suddenly felt quite winded. Their mouths went dry and she unconsciously ran her tongue along her lower lip in attempt to wet them. Seeing that simple motion made every nerve within Rumple's body roar to life and he was suddenly sensitive to her every touch and every sound. Even her breath falling upon his face sent shivers down his spine.

Their heads began to spin and Belle slowly began to lean towards him, her breathing coming in heavier and quicker as she did so. Rumple's did as well as his eyes grew dark with a heady sensation. They were so close now, mere centimeters apart and he could practically feel her rose petal lips upon his once again. "R-rum? If I kiss you…will something happen?" She whispered softly, her words falling upon his lips. She was, of course, referring to some form of curse being lifted from him.

"Something…might. But I won't shove you away this time." He gulped down the continuingly forming lumps in his throat. She was so close to him now, so close he only need move a smidge closer to her and their lips would be touching. He still remembered the first time their lips had met. It was soft, yet passionate. Hungry yet gentle at the same time. It had been obvious to him that he was her first kiss due to how shy she had been she had giving it to him.

Oh he could still remember the thrills and waves of electricity that had washed over him in that single kiss and now he just might have it again.

"The only curse here," he gulped, "is the one Regina cast."

"Good." The words barely left her lips as she leaned forward and shyly brushed her lips over his, the action causing shivers to lance down both of their spines. Rumple wanted nothing more than to grip the back of her head and crash her lips upon his, but he forced himself to stay still. This had to be her choice, not his.

They were so close, nearly there…

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Belle practically whimpered as the disdainful sound ruined the moment while Rumple tasted blood on his tongue.

"Rumpelstiltskin! I know you're in there! Where is my daughter? Where is my daughter you monstrous cretin?" Maurice hollered from down below, half a step away from kicking down the door himself.

Rumple thought he wanted to kill the man before; he wanted to positively rip his throat out right now. "That ignorant oaf." Rage consumed him as he stood up on the bed and stormed out of the room, gripping his cane tightly.

Belle's eyes widened and her hands flew to her open mouth when she recognized that voice. "Father?" She saw the rage in Rumple's eyes and recoiled slightly from the pure, dark rage she saw there. Goodness Belle was angry too but her anger was no match for his and she knew that he had intention to kill. "Rumple? Rumple wait!"

Rumple practically flew down the stairs but stopped when he heard another pair of footsteps coming after him. He looked up at her from the bottom of the stairs and pointed back up. "Belle go to your room. I'll take care of him." He snarled out.

Belle was frightened by his temper, but knew that it was not directed towards her. "No. I won't leave your side." She descended the rest of the stairs and slipped her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. "I know your angry but please…please don't kill him. He's still my Papa."

Rumple cursed her kind nature and turned his head away from her with a sneer. The prospect of killing Maurice was agonizingly tempting and the more that blundering oaf yelled and pounded on his door the more the need for blood rose within him.

"Rumple please. For me."

He looked towards her, saw the pleading in her eyes and let loose a defeated sigh. He could never deny her. "As you wish. But stay behind me."

Belle nodded and moved to stand behind her love, one hand keeping a tight hold of his jacket and the other squeezing his hand as he moved towards the door.

He went to open the door but paused as he remembered something. "Wait." He reached into his pocket and produced the small, glass bottle containing the purple liquid. He then made his way to the back rooms, passing all of the little antiques and figures that were laid strewn about.

"What is that?" Belle asked as she followed him, her eyes darting to the items for a brief second before focusing on him.

"Salvation." He simply stated as he opened the door to his study. His desk was clear save for some little bottles of God knew what and open books lying here and there. However the one thing that stood out the most to Belle was the small cup on the highest shelf of his bookshelf. Everything in the room looked as if it had been thrown to its place, scattered and unkempt but that single, small, white cup was placed specifically upon that spot, safe from being damaged.

To most people it would just be a cup and the notion of placing it such a safe distance from the disorganization in the room would seem ludicrous. But to Belle and most especially to Rumpelstiltskin, the cup had far more value to it.

"You kept it…" She whispered softly as she walked over to it, reaching up and grabbing the chipped cup with both hands, careful so she wouldn't drop it. For a second she didn't believe that this was the very cup she had chipped on her first night in his castle, but now that she held it in her hands she knew that it was.

Rumple looked up to her just as he placed the potion in his desk within a secret compartment. Seeing the cup in her hands once more triggered a series of memories and he smiled softly. "I did. It was the only piece of you I had left."

A single tear fell down her right cheek before carefully placing the cup back in its place and walked over to him, slipping her hand into his once more and squeezing it. "Now you have all of me."

Hearing her say that once more made his heart soar and he brought her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss upon them, letting his lips linger a moment longer before giving her a soft, tender look. "And I won't let you get away from me again."

"RUMPELSTILTSKIN!" Maurice hollered once more, slamming his shoulder into the door. Yet again the oaf had ruined the moment and Rumple's eyes of love hardened and iced over as he glared to the door.

"Time to deal with this." He growled out as they walked to the door.

"Remember what you promised me." She reminded him, holding onto his arm.

He smiled down at her as he put his hand on the door knob. "I haven't forgotten dearie."

As soon as Rumple opened it, Maurice stormed in and grabbed Rumple by his jacket collar and shoved him back against the wall. "Where is she? Where is she?" He demanded over and over again, unaware that the very individual that he was inquiring about had just stumbled to the floor because of his rampage.

Rumple struggled and fought against Maurice's hold, but just wasn't strong enough to get the buffoon off of him. He heard Belle's cry of pain as she hit the floor and that only fueled his rage. "She's not yours to take anymore!" He hollered back, seething as he looked to the man who dared called himself Belle's father. "You can't have her!"

Maurice's eyes narrowed before he pulled Rumple back and slammed him harder against the wall. "Beast! Give me back my daughter!"

At this point Belle had pulled herself up off the floor and threw herself at her father's back, trying desperately to get him off. "Papa stop it! Let him go!"

Maurice heard her cry and dropped Rumple to the floor in a coughing heap and turned to face his daughter. "Belle? Belle is that you?" He became teary eyed as he grabbed his daughter in a suffocating embrace. "Thank God you're alright."

Belle was not happy about the loving embrace her father gave her given how he had locked her away and permitted those things to be done to her. She gently pushed him away and looked up at him firmly. "Of course I'm alright Papa. Why are you attacking Rumpelstiltskin?"

Her father's brow furrowed with confusion as he regarded his daughter. "Because he took you away from me. He has tainted you with his evil!"

Belle rolled her eyes at him as she walked past him to kneel down beside Rumple. "Don't be ridiculous." She made sure that Rumple was alright before turning to look up at her father. "I was the one who decided to go with him forever in the first place and whatever hogwash you heard about Rumple 'tainting' me is not true." Belle helped Rumple to his feet then and glared to her father. "I love him Papa. I have loved him always."

Rumple watched the interaction between father and daughter and were it not for the fact that he had given his word to Belle that he would not kill the man, he would have already done so when Maurice had turned his back to him. He looked to Belle, smug and in awe of how firmly she defended him and her love for him. He gave Maurice and impish smile and wiggled his fingers towards the door. "There you have it. Now away with you. Your daughter's kindness is the only thing keeping you alive."

Maurice could hardly believe it. Even after all these years even in this new world his daughter still believed herself to be in love with the beast. For a moment, as he looked into the eyes of his daughter, he nearly believed it. The way she was tending to him and the sincere look of adoration she gave him…

But then that look of smug satisfaction on Rumple's face immediately sent him reeling back to rage and he pointed an accusing finger at him. "You! You did this! You have tainted her! You may have stood a threat against me in the old land Rumpelstiltskin, but here you have no magic!" With a great yell, he charged at Rumple with fists at the ready.

Rumple shoved Belle to the side as he ducked the first blow and rammed the head of his cane into Maurice's stomach and then brought his elbow down on his neck. "Papa stop this! Stop it!" Belle hollered as she stood back helplessly.

When she moved to interfere yet again, Rumple yelled at her. "Stay back!" Belle did as she was told but didn't stop yelling at her father to stop, tears now falling down her face. Rumple saw this and it made him so angry he could taste it on his tongue. "You have made her weep for the last time." He shoved Maurice back and brought his cane harder across Maurice's face. "GET. OUT. OF. MY. HOUSE!" He yelled in between each hit.

Maurice was growing dizzy and disoriented from each hit, but refused to give up. Even as he felt his airways clog from the blood gushing from his nose and mouth, he did not fall and give up. When Rumple grew tired, he took his chance and charged at him, grabbing him around the middle and slamming him to the floor.

Outside, Emma and Henry were pulling up when both noticed the other car already there. "Who in the world?" Emma stopped the car and stepped out when she heard the sounds of a fight coming from the house. Her eyes widened with surprised as she slammed the door. "Henry stay here!" Then she took off for the house.

Henry, as usual, was unable to cease his curiosity and followed shortly after Emma.

Emma came to the door stop to see a big man pinning Rumpelstiltskin down and was angrily beating away at him. A young woman who Emma had never seen before was in hysterics, crying and begging the man to stop. Belle looked up at Emma with pleading eyes and ran to her. "Please you have to stop him! He's killing him!"

Emma had no time to register this and only nodded as she moved Belle towards the door. "Alright alright but stay there."

Belle stood by the doorway, clutching the frame and feeling absolutely hopeless as she watched the other woman dive into the fight and kick her father off of Rumple. "Hey, I know you." A soft voice sounded beside her. She turned to see a young boy peering up at her with a soft smile. "You're Belle right?"

Belle, confused as to who this boy was, could only nod before a strangled cry from Rumple made her head whip back to the scene in the house.

Emma had successfully kicked the man away and managed to drag Rumple up by his shoulders. "Geez man what did you do to piss him off?"

Rumple only sneered as he wiped away the blood from his bloody nose and mouth and steadied himself on his feet. "Apparently not enough of it."

Emma scoffed and rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to say something when the man rose to his feet and charged once more. She had shoved Rumple to the other wall just as Maurice came forward again. Emma was more adept at fighting than Maurice and was easily able to dodge his wild punches and answered with two of her own straight to his jaw. It was then she recognized the man and her eyes widened slightly. "Mr. French?" Oh well that explained why he was pissed off at Gold, but it had to be something more than that since the curse was broken. A sudden memory played in her mind.

"_It's your fault! It's your fault!" Gold bellowed over and over again as he beat French over and over again with his cane with crazed abandon._

_Emma grabbed his wrist just as it came crashing down, shocked at the ferocity Gold was showing. "Stop." _

"_You're lucky Mr. Gold." She had told them as they wheeled French into the ambulance. She could see the way Gold was glaring at the ground and took note of it. Something else was at play here._

_Gold scoffed and looked to the side. "You've got a funny definition of lucky."_

_Emma crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. This certainly wasn't the calm, collected man that she had grown accustomed to. "You've got a funny definition of justice. What did he really do?" _

_She could see Gold getting twitchy and was even more suspicious. "He stole."_

"_That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets." She pressed on. "You said something about how he hurt her? What happened to her? Who was that? What did he do?"_

Emma came back to the present and looked to the girl that was quivering with fear at the door. Was that her? She focused back on Moe and held up her finger to him. "Look, Mr. French just turn around and leave. I don't wanna hurt you."

From her side she heard Rumpelstiltskin scoff, "Speak for yourself dearie."

"Not until he's dead!" Maurice hollered as he turned to charge Rumple again.

Emma didn't give him the chance as she grabbed him and made him turn back around, drove her elbow up against his chin and then did a quick jab at his throat to choke him. She was about to knee him in the stomach when Rumple hit him hard in the head from behind, effectively making the man fall to his knees in pain. Rumple then grabbed him by the back of his shirt and limped his way to the open door, dragging the man with him as he did so. Henry and Belle got out of the way in time for Rumple to throw the man out like garbage. "Stay away from her and stay away from us! She belongs with me!"

Maurice looked from his place at the bottom of the stairs and looked to Belle. "Belle please, listen to me! He's tricked you!" He coughed and sputtered as he spat out blood. He shakily stood to his feet, pleading with his daughter to leave with him.

Belle shook her head, sobbing as she held her hand to her mouth. "You're wrong Papa. Rum is right, I belong here with him." She sniffed and turned her head away from him, stepping back into the house with the others and into Rumple's arms. "I love you Papa. I'm sorry...Goodbye."

Rumple sneered and slammed the door and locked it just as Maurice yelled.

"Damned fool." He muttered before groaning and stumbling backwards to land at the bottom of the stairs.

"Rum!" Belle cried as she immediately went to his side, pulling him towards her and allowing his head to rest on her shoulder. "Oh Rum look at you."

"I-it's nothing." He assured her, looking up at her with possibly the most tender look Emma and Henry had ever seen on him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not the one bleeding out you silly man." She said in between soft pants, looking over the cut on his eyebrow, lip and cheek. Of course her heart ached at how violent her father had reacted. What had happened to him? Her father had never, _never_ been so rash and violent before!

_Regina…_ the name floated to her mind before she could think twice about it and she knew with grim determination that the Queen had something to do with her father's sudden change. There was no other explanation. But what did she do?

She felt something wet stain her hand and she remembered Rumpelstiltskin bleeding out in her arms and focused on him. She said a silent prayer for her Father's safety and then focused back on him.

Rumple could only laugh at her comment, but he could see that something was bothering her. No doubt it was her father and the way he had acted out. A part of him felt guilty for giving him such a harsh beating…but he had to admit that it was a very, very small part. He was about to inquire her about it when Emma stepped up. "Ok I don't mean to interrupt this really weird love fest, but could one of you please explain to me what the hell just happened?" She looked to Belle then, "And who are you?"

"She's Belle." Henry chirped knowingly as he went to Emma's side. Oh, of course he would know.

All three looked to him, Emma the most confused. "Wait…what? Belle? As in Belle from Beauty and the Beast Belle?"

Henry nodded with that knowing smile of his. "Yup! That man out there was King Maurice, Belle's father. My guess is he probably still thinks that Belle is under the Beast's spell and not really in love with him so he's trying to take her back."

Whoah, ok that's a doozy. Emma shook her head, shocked by all the news and turned to look at Rumple's figure. "So wait…you're the Beast?"

Rumple scoffed, "Can you think of anyone more fitting?"

Emma did think about and found that it did make sense and nodded, "Alright you got me there."

Belle looked to the boy with a smile, "You're a smart one. What's your name?"

Henry smiled and bowed with respect. "I'm Henry, pleasure to meet you Your Highness."

Belle laughed merrily once more as she inclined her head to him. "The pleasure is all mine Henry." She looked up to Emma then and gently stroked the side of Rumple's face. "Thank you, truly. Had you come a moment sooner…well…I dread to think of what would happen."

Rumple hated to seem so weak in the presence of others, especially Emma since she knew that he knew that Emma was sore at him for leaving her in the elevator shaft. But he didn't have the strength to stand, the pain in his leg throbbing angrily at the exertion of energy he had used to block Maurice's wild blows and being tossed around. He glanced up to Belle, touched by her worry before patting her hand and pushing himself up and leaning heavily upon his cane. He bit down on his tongue, making it bleed as his leg screamed in protest. "Yes suffice it to say I must thank you for your assistance. Though I hardly doubt that's what you had in mind when you came here."

Belle stood up next to him and held on to his arm, knowing that he was pushing through the pain so as not to look weak in front of these people. So like him to always push away any show of weakness or vulnerability. For God's sakes he was just a man here now, not The Dark One! But then again, it occurred to her that he probably still held that same proud air about him and still instilled fear in these people in a different way. Appearances were everything to him.

She wanted to warn him to be careful but bit her lip, knowing that only showing more concern for him would expose these people to how much she cared for him. Not that she particularly cared if they knew or not, but she had a feeling that Rumple would most likely want to keep it between the two of them.

Rumple was thankful for her support and eyed Emma before slowly looking over to Henry. "Good to see you up and about Henry."

Henry, as always, shied away from Rumple's look and shrugged nonchalantly. "Thanks." He mumbled softly, moving closer to Emma as he did.

"Yeah, no thanks to you!" Emma found her anger and reason for being here once again and put her fists to her hips as she glared at Gold er…Rumpelstiltskin whatever! "What the hell were you thinking leaving me down there? I should've known better than to trust you!"

Belle's brow furrowed with confusion as she looked to Rumple. "What is she talking about?"

Rumple took Emma's anger and shook it off as it were an annoying dust mite, taking no offense in it at all. He looked to Belle as she asked her question, but disregarded it before looking to Emma. "I knew Henry would not stay dead."

Oh how Emma wanted to strangle the mess out of him. If it wasn't for the fact that he was already injured and had the girl holding him up she just might have. But Emma had more honor in her to know that kicking down a man when he was already down was just plain wrong. Instead she let out a long and angry sigh. "How? How could you have possibly known that?"

Henry had been listening in on this and it finally dawned on him. Of course! It was so obvious! Eyes bright he looked up to Emma and beamed, "True Love's Kiss. The only magic more powerful than anything. It has the power to break any curse."

Rumple nodded to the boy in approval, "There you have it."

Emma was confused. "True Love's Kiss? But isn't that supposed to be shared between two people who are in love or something like that?" I mean she loved her son that was for sure but definitely not like that.

At this Belle could only giggle and shake her head. "Love is not limited to just lovers Miss…"

"Emma." Emma provided, still not completely believing that this woman before her was Belle. If that was Belle and Gold was Rumpelstiltskin and the Beast then that meant that she was in love with him. That concept, alone, was enough to make Emma a skeptic again. If it wasn't for the fact that she had seen the memories for herself, got Regina to admit it, fought a dragon and brought Henry back from the dead with a simple kiss on the forehead then she just might have because she just could not possibly imagine anyone ever falling in love with a man like Mr. Gold, let alone the Beast.

"Emma." Belle smiled sweetly, "Love is something much more. It's something deep and moving that is shared between mostly two people but is not limited to just them. It could be between siblings and from parent to child. Young Henry must have meant more than the world and stars to you for True Love's Kiss to work upon him."

That made sense. Emma looked down to her son and wrapped her arm around him, hugging him close and rubbing his arm. A small smile lit her face as he smiled up at her. "Yeah…I guess that makes sense."

She once again thanked the Fates or God or whoever was up there watching that she was able to save her son. If she had truly lost him, if she had to go on with her life knowing that she could have spent more time with him and beating herself up for not believing him sooner…no that was just too dreadful to think about.

She looked back to the pair before and then pointed between them. "So you two…are…Beauty and the Beast right?" Wow did she feel awkward and she may have been mistaken, but she was pretty sure she saw Rumple shift uncomfortably. "So does that mean…you're in love?"

Belle could only smile sweetly as Rumple looked away from Emma and nodded with her eyes shining as she did so. "Yes."

"You love him?" Emma repeated, still trying to wrap her mind around it.

"With all of my heart and soul." Belle spoke in earnest making Emma reel back at how heartfelt and genuine her words were and made Rumple's heart flutter once more in his chest.

Emma looked to Rumple then and quirked her eyebrow at him. "You love her?"

Rumple didn't appreciate the tone in her voice, but didn't quite find it unexpected. He only smirked at her, "Your father had the same look on his face when he asked the same question."

"And what did you tell him?" Emma had to hear it from his mouth. If she did then maybe she could just maybe forgive his little mishap and tell herself that he wasn't all that bad. Besides, he did tie up and gag Regina in the chair and that was a pleasant sight indeed. And Henry was alive, couldn't forget that little tidbit.

Rumple looked to Belle, taking a moment to get lost in her ocean blue eyes; his lips turning up with a soft smile as he felt the warmth and floating sensation fill him up yet again. "I told him that it was a brief flicker of light amidst the ocean of darkness." He slowly turned to Emma as he spoke and held his head higher as he did so. "As I have said before, True Love is the most powerful magic in the world. Nothing can defeat it, and no one can suppress it."

Well that answered that. Emma shook her head, blown away by the information she just received. Yeah sure reading about the story in books and stuff it was easier to accept that the sweet, innocent girl could fall in love with such a cold, cruel-hearted beast but to actually see it happening before her? Especially when she had fallen victim to some of the Beast's tricks was something else entirely. A part of her wanted to keep denying it, but Emma took pride in being able to smell a lie a mile away and as she looked to them she saw that there were only genuine emotions here. They were in love.

She chuckled softly at this new tidbit and gave him a soft smirk. "You told me that you were a difficult man to love."

"Oh he is." Belle said with a small laugh, squeezing Rumple's arm and leaning in closer to him. She smiled softly at him and the two shared a look so intense, so tender and so passionate at the same time that it even took a bit of Emma's breath away. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Well that sold her. Emma could only smile softly at the couple and despite her anger at Gold - ack! Rumpelstiltskin! - For what he did to her and for all his trickery and scheming ways; she couldn't bring herself to stay angry at him. How could she when she was seeing such a tender side of him? Something, she was willing to bet, that he didn't' show often.

Putting that aside, she threw up her hands in defeat and sighed. "Alright then. I'm sold, but I did come here for a reason." She turned to Rumple then and locked gazes with him. "I broke the curse and everyone has their memories, but they're not back where they belong. You wanna tell me why since it's your curse?"

Here Rumple could only smirk. "I could, but let's just say that is for another time and leave it at that." He motioned towards the door. "Now if you don't mind Miss Swan, but Belle and I are rather tired and we need our rest."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him, not liking his elusive answer but experience told her that she wouldn't be able to do anything to persuade him to tell her. "Fine." She said with a slight growl, making her way towards the door. She paused as she stepped out and turned to face him. "What about Regina?"

Rumple's eyes darkened with rage and he all but growled out, "I'll take care of her."

The sight caused a tremor of fear to course through Emma and she was really, really glad that she wasn't Regina. Man if looks could kill Regina was sure to be nothing but a pile of ashes.

With nothing else to say, she nodded to him and made her way to the car. As she did so she saw that Maurice's car was gone and she paused on his doorstep for a moment, eyes looking up and down the street and wondering where the man could have gone. He was pretty beat up and bleeding profusely.

"Wait!" Belle rushed out to the steps and touched Emma's arm. "If you see my father – ."

"I'll help him." Emma finished for her with a smile, placing a sure hand over Belle's.

Belle smiled softly, "Thank you."

Emma nodded and glanced to Rumpelstiltskin before leaning in to whisper to Belle. "You take care of yourself ok?"

Belle giggled, knowing that even though Emma seemed to believe their story she still was worried for her. It touched her and she had a feeling that she and Emma will become great friends. "I have nothing and no one to fear at this house." With that she went back to Rumpelstiltskin and the last Emma saw was the two embracing as the door shut and locked.

"He's not going to hurt her." Henry stated as they reached the car.

"Huh?" Emma looked to her son, confused as she opened her door and got in.

"Belle? If you're worried about Rumpelstiltskin hurting her or something you don't have to worry. Plus he also really hates the Queen after what she did." He stated knowingly as he buckled his seat belt in.

"What did the Queen do?" Emma asked as she started up the car.

"She tricked him. The Queen told him that Belle was locked up in a tower by her father and tortured and when Belle couldn't take it anymore, she jumped out of the tower window and died."

"And the Queen actually had her locked up." Emma finished for him, shaking her head as she pulled out and began to head back to her apartment she shared with Mary Margaret…no wait…that was her mother Snow White. That knowledge sent a whirlwind of emotions through her. Oh God she had been living with her mother this entire time and she had not known it! Alright she had known it but she hadn't believed it. Oh man how was she going to face her now? Some sort of teary reunion or major awkward silence?

"Did…did her father really lock her up? Because I don't know about you but Rumpelstiltskin seemed pretty pissed off and I'm pretty sure those weren't beauty marks on Belle's arms." She needed something to keep her mind focused and grounded, knowing that she was to very soon be faced with her mother and most likely father and they would all remember.

A sad and dark look came across Henry's face, confirming Emma's suspicion. She shook her head and clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth. "Damn…" Now that night made complete sense. Hell if she were Rumpelstiltskin she most likely would've torn Moe a new one! In fact she was surprised that he had made it out of the first encounter with Gold alive but a second time with their memories back in place? Emma had a feeling that that had to do with Belle and she was most likely the only reason why Maurice had stumbled out of that place alive.

"So I'm guessing that Regina kept her locked up in this world as well."

"Most likely." Henry stated as he pulled out his book and began to skim through it.

"Wow, I would really hate to be Regina once Rumpelstiltskin gets his hand on her."

"Yeah, can you imagine if he had his powers?"

Both shivered with terror and shook their heads. "I would really rather not. Dealing with him just as Mr. Gold is bad enough. God only knows what would happen if he had his magic." Emma said as she turned the corner.

"That would be really bad."

"Extremely."

"Ah." Rumple gasped softly as Belle used a hot cloth to clean away to blood on his lip, nose and forehead. He could already feel a bruise beginning to form over his left cheek. Rumple sneered with annoyance at the injuries. Aside from the nasty little cut Cinderella - or Ashley as she was known in Storybrooke - gave him after spraying mace in his eyes and making him fall over and hit his head against the shelf; this was the first time he had been hurt with injuries that he could not wipe away with the purple magic he had once possessed. It was very, very annoying.

"I'm almost done." Belle said softly from her seated position in front of him. He sat upon the bed with Belle on the small chair from the vanity table. She studied the area carefully as she dabbed away at the blood, but was not immune to how close they were. She had leaned forward in her chair, placing her hand upon his thigh to support her. This was…nice. Belle had spent so much of her time in their other lives taking care of him and his castle, but never did she think that she would be tending to his wounds. To her, Rumpelstiltskin was invincible. To see him as a simple man now and injured was both shocking and oddly refreshing. It reminded her that in this world he was but a simple man. A man, she had no doubt, who still held himself in high esteem and seemed to be still as rich as he was in the other life, but a man none the less.

Caring for him, tending to his wounds and sitting so close to him Belle had the silly image of a wife tending to her husband after a scrap with the disagreeing father. That immediately made her blush and she had just caught the squeak that was about to escape her lips. She could only imagine if Rumple knew what she was thinking. At that thought she now began to wonder _what_ he would think. Would he mock her, shy away from her or be just as accepting and warm about it like she was? He did finally confess to her that he loved her and that he didn't mean the words he said before when he had sent her away, but that certainly didn't mean that he was willing to run to the altar with her.

His hands stayed clenched at his sides, fidgeting now and then as Rumple grew very aware of how close she was to him and he could feel the heat of her palm through his slacks. She was so close to him now and he could smell the scent of lavender coming from her. It was so very hard to not reach out and grab her as every nerve within his body focused upon her hand on his thigh. "You used the shampoo I left in there."

"You remembered that lavender is my favorite." She said softly with a smile, her eyes briefly locking with his before she continued with her work. She wiped away the last of the blood and tossed the wet cloth to the side, gently prodding at the wound to inspect it. "It's not too bad, it'll heal in time."

Their eyes met and once more they felt as if they were soaring through the skies and grew dizzy and lost in each other's eyes. Their breathing hitched and each of them swallowed a lump in their throat. The air seemed to sizzle and crack between them as they found themselves slowly inching closer and closer together. Rumple recalled how she was so close to kissing him before and he swore that if anyone interrupted them this time he was going to kill them, regardless of what Belle said.

Their lips brushed each other, a ghost of a touch, their breathes mingling with each other; swirling and twirling around one another until they became one and they were breathing, literally, the same air. Belle was hesitant; a part of her unconsciously afraid that he would react with outrage just as he did before, but told herself that he was under no curse here therefore her kiss would not lift it.

She pressed her lips more firmly against his then, letting out a shaky sigh as electricity coursed through her entire body and made her feel as if she wanted to leap with joy but also melt slowly into him at the same time.

Rumple shuddered when their lips had grazed and thought he might sway from the light-headed feeling she gave him. When she pressed her lips more firmly against his, it took all of his will-power to not dominate her and kiss her hungrily. She had to be the one to lead this if she even felt brave enough to take it to that level. He would never again force her to do anything she clearly did not want to do.

Oh but she was making it so hard with how delicately soft and warm her lips were against his cold ones. The more she leaned into him the more he wanted to just grab her and squeeze her to him until they could melt into each other and become one.

She was practically in his lap now, both of her hands on his thighs and slowly moving to sit down on his lap. She pulled back from him and looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, the corner of her lips slowly turning up into a lazy smile. "You're not pushing me away." She whispered softly, her words falling against his slightly opened mouth.

"No." He breathed out, "Never again."

"Good." She pressed her lips to his once more, this time more confident and demanding. It was enough to make Rumple moan softly and wrap his arms around her waist, one of his hands running up her back to gently cradle the back of her head.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she brought her legs up as she moaned into their kiss. One kiss became another and another and with each kiss came more demand and more passion. Belle had even grown bold enough to shyly run her tongue across his lower lip, savoring what little flesh she could taste.

It was nearly enough to undo him as he felt her tongue against his lower lip. A louder moan sounded from him as he dipped her slightly and slid his tongue against her lower lip to wordlessly tell her that he was more than willing to comply. He felt the world around him shatter and dive deep into a place where Pleasure reigned when their tongues touched and wrapped around each other. God she tasted like what he believed ambrosia would taste like. So sweet and womanly that he felt unworthy to be able to taste something so sweet and innocent.

The world that Belle knew melted around her and all that existed was her, Rumple and the heady sensations he stirred within her. Her tongue and lips moved of their own accord now, each action growing more desperate and was serving to grow the tingling and warm sensation in Rumple and in herself as well. Though, for Rumple, his pants were starting to become very, very tight on him and he was so glad that he no longer wore the leather pants. A part of him feared what would happen if she felt the considerably growing bulge in his pants and hoped that the layers of her dress were enough to cushion her from feeling it.

Rumple pulled back from her, breathing heavily and growing dizzy from the heavy sensation taking over him. "Belle…"

"Yes?" She whimpered softly biting her lower lip as she pressed her forehead to his.

"Did you really mean what you said? A-about…loving me?" He sounded like a bumbling idiot and he cursed himself for it. At the same time he could hardly be blamed since he had spent the past years hating himself for cruelly casting her out only to begin yearning to see her again, longing to just have his eyes take in her beauty once more. Then when her supposed death came Rumple lost all humanity that had ever been in him. He had no hope for ever feeling that fire that Belle stoked within him burn brightly again.

But she wasn't dead, she was alive and the small ember that was near extinguish suddenly roared back to life with a fury and with it came a hunger like never before. Even when she was alive never did he imagine her to be in his lap, arms around him and kissing him with just as much hunger and passion he felt for her, squirming in his lap and rubbing against a part of him that had remained dormant for so long. Therefore, he could hardly be blamed.

Belle smiled gently as she kissed him softly over and over again, her body moving of its own accord and she found herself straddling him. "Every word." She ran her fingers through his soft, gray-brown hair and the other gently cupped the side of his face, her thumb stroking his cheek. "I love you Rumpelstiltskin. Forever."

His eyes had widened as she moved to straddle him and he gulped down the boulder that had formed in his throat when he felt her settle down on top of him. Shivers racked his body and he could only hang his head and rest it upon her shoulder. Pleasure struck him and travelled up his spine so fast and sudden that he barely been able to make a sound. Her words snapped him away from his lustful thoughts and replaced them with unadulterated joy. Happiness filled him to the core and it both liberated and terrified him. Could he do this again? Could he bare himself to her and risk letting her into his heart and giving her the power to break him? Him, the most powerful man in the world both in this life and the life before.

Belle could see the hesitation in his eyes and she could see that he was fighting back the urge to rise up that wall of his once again; he was fighting down his fear for her. The notion touched her and she gently kissed his forehead, letting her lips linger as she did so. She wanted to show him that she was here for him, to show him that she had no intention of leaving. She thought that she would be angry at him or at the very least resentful towards him after he so coldly threw her out.

But she wasn't. Sure she was still a bit sore about the topic, but she remembered the way he had looked at her when she had found him in his shop. She recalled the heartbreak, shock, agony, and guilt that were eating away at him on the inside. She remembered his tears and it was then that she knew that he had regretted everything just as she predicted. No one could fake emotions that intense. Not even the great Rumpelstiltskin.

He shut his eyes as he felt her lips touch his forehead and he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly to him and pressing his ear to her bosom. Her quickened heartbeat sounded clearly in his ears and he treasured the sound. It was beautiful…utterly beautiful and knowing that her heart quickened because of him sent a wave of warmth through him. "Belle…" He looked up at her and reached up to cup her cheek and gently brings her down for a soft, gentle kiss but with the fiery passion behind it. In that kiss he poured his entire being. His fears, his devotion, his guilt, and most of all his love for her. All for her.

Belle felt it wash over her and wrap around her like a silk blanket. Cool to the touch but warmed her from the inside out. She responded with a heated kiss of her own, answering his silent plea with her assurance and her own devotion. A promise sealed with a kiss.

As before, the kisses turned even more heated, more passionate and demanding and Belle found that her hips were moving against him of their own volition. The action sent Rumple's head reeling and he gripped her hips, unsure if he should urge her on or make her stop because by God if she did not stop he was not going to have any reservation at all about ravishing her right then and there. Belle could sense his hesitancy at proceeding any further and found herself growing slightly frustrated by it. No more. No more waiting and no more hesitancy. They had waited too long as it is and Belle had no desire to wait any longer. She moved her hands down to undo the buttons of his jacket and ran her hands up his chest and began to push his jacket off of his shoulders.

Rumple had enough of his senses to pull back and try and reign himself in. "Belle wait please." He took a gentle hold of her wrists and set them down in her lap as he shut his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing and still his rapidly beating heart to no avail. He looked up to her and rolled his tongue around in his mouth to try and gain some semblance of speech. "You, you don't know what you're doing. You're not thinking. We ca-can't do this." She was young, too young and was acting irrationally. She was also most likely a virgin and there was no possible way he felt worthy enough to take away her last bit of innocence. No, he couldn't do that to her. Her innocence should not be taken away by a monster such as he.

Belle practically whined and brought their hands up, placing a gently kiss on his knuckles. "No one decides my fate but me." She repeated those same, fateful words she told her father and fiancé in their other life. The same words she uttered before she vowed to go with Rumpelstiltskin forever. "Please Rumpelstiltskin I don't want to wait anymore. I want you, don't you want me?" Those last words fell from her lips in a husky whisper and it was enough to make Rumple growl softly with desire.

Why is it that when he was trying to play the damned Hero she wasn't letting him? "Oh God yes Belle I do. I do more than anything."

"Then why are you stopping me?" She moved in and began to rain soft kisses along his neck, travelling up to his ear and when she placed a soft kiss on his earlobe he nearly broke down right then and there. Was she always this wanton? When had his sweet little Belle turn into the temptress that sat upon his lap now?

"No Belle please you're not thinking." He tried to move his head away but Belle pulled back and kissed him hungrily, moaning as she did so.

"And you're thinking too damn much." His grip on her wrists grew weak and she placed her hands back on his chest, moving down to fiddle with this vest buttons and started to slowly unfasten them.

Damn it all to seven hells she just would not give up! If he hadn't known any better he would think that this was a succubus in his lap and not his Belle. He was about to stop her and argue with her once more when it suddenly just clicked in his head. Why was he playing the hero? He had never once been the hero so why in the blazes was he starting now?

Unable to resist her anymore, Rumple only growled low in his throat as his hands went to the laces on the back of her bodice and slowly began to unlace them. "As you wish dearie." He attacked her lips with fervor and growled softly as he coaxed her tongue from the safe haven of her mouth only to dominate her entirely. Arms and hands were now working furiously to take off the layers of clothing that separated them from each other and the air was practically charged with the excitement and desire they had pent up over all these years. Every slightest touch they had made while passing each other in the hallways, every not so secret glances to each other, every underlying tone of desire as they spoke to each other that had been festering and growing within them after all of these years now unleashed and flowed out like the great falls.

Rumple toed his shoes off and lifted his arms over his head just as Belle pulled his shirt off and practically tore her dress from her and tossed it somewhere to the ground, leaving her in only the creamy chemise that she wore underneath. He could see her nipples pert and taut poking through the thin material and he quickly pulled her to him and rolled them over so that her head landed on the pillows and he was looming over her. His dark gaze met hers and for a moment he was afraid that he would see rejection in her eyes. Hesitancy or God forbid, regret. But he didn't. All he saw was desire, lust and most importantly the love that she held for him. It rocked him to his core and only made his desire for her grow more. To think that anyone, let alone Belle, could look at him with such passion and care was a dream that Rumple had dared not even imagine.

"Who would ever want to be touched by a beast?" He had asked himself in such a sour tone on his cold, dark lonely nights within the Dark Castle. But this woman…this wonderful, beautiful creature beneath him wanted him to do more than just touch her. She wanted him to meld their bodies as one, wanted him to make love to her as true lovers do. It was enough to make him tear up.

"You're so perfect…" He breathed out as he brushed aside her hair. "How did a beast like me ever be gifted with the heart of a beauty like you?"

Belle was having rather hard time breathing both from the fire that his hands caused in her body and the way his eyes seemed to devour her. They did not only see her, but they saw _into_ her. Into her very heart and soul and the fact that she was so bare to him sent her for a rush. Belle had always believed that True Love existed but never thought that in her royal life as princess she would ever be so honored as to experience it. She thought that she would have to marry that superficial Lord Gaston and would shiver in disgust at the prospect of bedding him.

Belle had read countless novels about love and the art of love-making, but no book could ever prepare her for this. There were no words by man, fairy or beast that could be fashioned so as to describe the feelings coursing through her now. This man, whether he be the Dark One or not, was her other half and not just to her heart, but to her soul as well. She needed him like she needed the air to breathe, the water to ease her dry throat and food for energy. Without Rumple in her life Belle knew that she could never, ever truly be happy.

His words made her heart jump up to her throat and her eyes glassed over slightly. "Oh Rumple." She reached up and brushed his hair aside, smiling sweetly at him. "I told you before that you are not a beast." She leaned up and gently kissed him, whispering softly. "I didn't have a choice. By the time I realized I was falling for you, you caught me and stole my heart away with that simple glance."

His eyes widened as she likened her realization of her feelings for him with the time she had fallen off of the ladder and he had caught her. Those words made him shake with the intensity of what he felt for her and he could only kiss her once more. "And you stole mine."

The intensity of that moment caught up with her and she moved her hands down to fumble with the clasp of his leather belt, eyes widening in shock when she realized that he wore no underpants beneath it. She looked up to him with a quirked eyebrow and felt her insides melt to puddles at the smirk on his face.

Rumple saw her expression and couldn't resist chuckling softly. "Never was fond of them dearie."

"Yes I can clearly see that." She bit her lower lip as she peered up at him and the look on her face caused an equivalent to liquid fire shoot through his veins and made him breathe heavier.

"Wait." He said as she started to reach in and hold his member in her small, soft hands. "Belle if you do that I'll be undone sooner than we'd both like. Let me just…" he looked to her and slowly ran his hand up her calf and thigh leaving behind a trail of goose bumps as he did so, pushing the fabric of her chemise up as he did so. "Let me just love you."

Belle felt her insides twirl at the intense look in his eyes and the heated pool that was forming in her center only grew. She could only nod and lean back with her arms resting on his shoulders. Soft gasps and barely audible moans escaped her lips as his hands travelled higher and higher up her legs and soon the chemise was bunched up at her waist and she felt the cool air blow against the bare womanhood, causing her to shiver. She didn't have to look at him to know that his eyes were devouring every part of her, eating her up with his gaze and it made her feel vulnerable and empowered at the same time.

When he finally managed to take her chemise off completely and leave her completely naked before him, Rumple was convinced that among everything he had ever collected she was truly the most beautiful treasure among all of his treasures. Belle thought she would melt beneath his gaze.

Rumple saw the angry scars upon her stomach and felt his rage return tenfold. Oh he should've locked Maurice in a tower of his own and do unto him what he had done unto his precious Belle. To see what was once flawless, creamy skin marred by the so-called purification was a sin in itself.

He leaned forward and began to rain kisses upon the scarred flesh starting at the scars upon her ankles as if doing so would make them fade away as if they never existed. His hands ran up the sides of her thighs once more before slowly, hesitantly, shakily moving up to graze the sides of her breasts. Soft, tender, feather-like kisses moved up from her ankles, to her shins, her thighs and when his hot breath fell against her wet core she made a sound that was a mix between a squeal and a gasp.

He looked up at her to silently ask her permission. Belle had no idea what he planned on doing but found herself nodding ever so slightly. What came next was an explosion of ecstasy as she felt his tongue run over her lower lips. She cried out his name and arched into his mouth, biting her lower lip as she fisted the sheets and twisted them, her knuckles turning white.

Rumple groaned at the taste of her sweet nectar, moaning softly against her wet flesh as he ventured further. He dipped his tongue between her folds and found her sweet button, sucking on it softly. She kept squirming and letting out soft whimpers from his tongue's ministrations and it made his own desire and pride soar.

Belle thought she would explode to dust if he kept going like that. His tongue prodding her, tasting her and his lips manipulating her button was all too much. She was left gasping, whimpering, squirming and helpless beneath him. "R-rumple…! Oh God!" She could barely form those words and then moved her hand to run her fingers through his dampened hair, massaging his scalp and tugging ever so slightly on it.

Soon enough she felt something festering and building within her and was begging to be released. She brought her knees up and whimpered louder when his hands finally found the courage to grip her mounds, squeezing them softly and massaging them.

Belle was panting like a dog now and she felt like a fool but was hardly conscious of that thought. His hands were leaving trails of fire behind them as they explored her flesh. How could she be so cold and yet so hot at the same time? His tongue working its own form of magic at her core below and his hands massaging her mounds, all of it combined together was sending her over the edge. A part of her was suddenly a bit afraid as she teetered over the ledge. What would be waiting for her below?

That thought disappeared as quickly as it came when she felt the first tremor of pleasure shoot through her, promising her that there was more to come.

She tasted so sweet and womanly and he felt himself growing drunk on her, moaning softly as he tasted her over and over again. He could feel her juices coming in more and from the way her body grew taut and the heightened sound of her whimpers, she was close to being thrown over the edge. He growled against her, the vibrations serving to make her cry out louder.

Before long Belle arched completely against him, the tremor from before now shooting through her over and over again and she found herself lost in the throes of pleasure as her head spun. Her juices poured forth and Rumple lapped them up hungrily, moaning even louder at her sweet, womanly taste. Belle twitched and squirmed beneath his touch, her hands still softly massaging him before her pants slowed a bit and she went limp beneath him.

By God she felt and tasted more lovely and amazing then he ever thought possible. To feel her taut nipples pressing against his palm were enough to make him growl out softly but her taste? Oh her taste made him dizzy with desire and all his fevered mind could command was to lap up as much of it as he could. He moved up to her stomach and took his time in endearing the scarred flesh with the same feather-like kisses he gave to rest of her body. His lips touched each scar, his tongue flicking out every now and then to taste her flesh, the salty-sweet tang heaven on his tongue.

His hands continued to work on her before he replaced one of them with his lips to hungrily take one of the nipples into his mouth. He sucked and flicked his tongue at the flesh, growing harder at the whimpers and gasps Belle made. He switched to her other breast to give it the same treatment.

Belle had all but a few seconds to recollect herself until she felt her insides flutter at his tender kisses. His hands working upon her breasts slowly began to rebuild the pressure from before and a soft sigh escaped her lips as she threw her head back, shutting her eyes as she focused on his touch alone. "A-ah! Rumple…!"

Dear God if she kept saying his name like that it alone would undo him. He pulled back and buried his hand in her chestnut tresses as he moved to rain those same kisses along the nape of her neck. He nipped and sucked on her flesh now and then, eliciting louder gasps and whimpers from her as he did.

He pulled back and crashed his lips over hers; kissing her with such hunger and passion Belle thought she would drown in him. He coaxed her tongue from its safe haven only to completely dominate her. It was like he needed her kiss in order to live, in order to survive, as if he had to draw his source of life from her. He devoured her as if his very existence depended on it and Belle answered him with equal fervor. Hands tangled themselves in hair and they held onto each other for dear life, becoming a tangle of limbs and somehow in some way Rumple managed to get the last of his clothing off and now they were skin to skin.

Belle gasped into his mouth when she felt his rock hard member rubbing against her thigh. She didn't have to look at it to know that he was a very well endowed man. He was a good length and thick too, but not so thick that it scared her virgin mind. In fact it excited her and made her extremely anxious. She pulled back and pressed her lips against the side of his head, whispering feverishly into his ear. "I want you. I _need_ you Rumple. Please…please…"

His body shook from the ferocity of the onslaught of emotions coursing through him. He would not lie and say that he didn't imagine those words many a night in his castle, but to actually hear it now was another matter entirely. He could only shut his eyes and hold her tightly against him as he felt her legs spread apart and nearly lost his mind when he felt her hot, wet core brush against his shaft. His eyes flashed with uncertainty as he pulled back to gaze down at her. "Belle…are you sure you're ready?"

She practically whimpered when she felt some of his body heat leave her and at his words she could only shake her head incredulously at him. They had gotten this far and he still questioned it? At first it was rather adorable with how hesitant and cautious he was but now it was starting to grate her nerves. She debated on opening her mouth to reply to him but instead decided that actions were needed here.

With an impish smirk that only Rumpelstiltskin himself could top, she quickly flipped him over so that she was on top and giggled at his bemused expression. There were not many who could surprise the Trickster and Belle seemed to be able to do it with the slightest of ease.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and bared the milky flesh of her skin to him. There were already a few dark marks from where Rumple had sucked and nipped at her. A sense of possession went through him at seeing them and he felt as if those were his marks upon her. He had marked her as his and he would not have it any other way. "B-Belle! What are you - ?"

She put her fingers to his lips to silence him. "No more waiting. No more holding back." She gulped down her nervousness and acted purely on instinct now, riding out the Lust and pent up Desire she felt for him and only him. Slowly then, she began to raise her hips and she took a gentle hold of his member, positioning her opening above his tip. She pressed the top of his head against her opening and both moaned in unison at the contact. She slowly eased him in, her body tense as she felt pain wrack her body. He was spreading her wide and the stabbing pain that followed made her wince, her body tensed as she paused in her actions and allowed herself to grow used to him.

It must have been evident on her face because Rumple looked up at her with concern, his hands instantly grabbing her hips and gently pushing her back up despite how damn good it felt to finally be in her. "D-don't force yourself." Hanging on to some semblance of control right now was equivalent to keeping a cloud pinned to the earth. She felt so good, so hot and tight and ready for him he had to literally bite his cheek from plunging straight into her. But he had seen the pained expression on her face and felt the unpierced maiden head at the head of his manhood.

"I'll be alright." She assured him and opened her eyes just enough to meet his dark gaze. She knew that he needed this just as much as she did and like Hell she was about to stop now. Not when they were so close. She leaned forward to crash her lips upon his and plunged her tongue into his mouth before pulling back and gently nipping his lower lip. "I want this…I need this."

Every muscle in his body was taut and strained as he fought his own carnal desires. His leg throbbed with pain but the ecstasy he felt at even partially being inside Belle was enough to ebb it away. He groaned as he tasted her once more and when she nipped his lip all notion or thought of stopping her flew right out the window. He wanted this too…oh dammit it all to hell he _needed_ this. Countless years after Bae's mother left him Rumple had had no other woman. He hadn't known the touch of another woman's flesh until this very moment and in his next life at that.

His resolve set, he nodded and gently massaged her hips and lower back in hopes of relaxing her muscles. "Relax." He breathed out, a thin sheet of sweat already coating his entire body. She did as she was told and slowly the two began to move together. Belle was able to lower herself just a bit more, but always jerked back up just when the hymen was to break. She couldn't do it, not with her being on top and it was really starting to frustrate her. Impatient, she flipped them back over and hooked her arms beneath his and pressed hard against his shoulders to bring him closer to her. "Just do it. Get it over with, I can't wait anymore." Her words fell out in between uneven pants and her tone laced with frustration, serving to make Rumple's body roar with Lust.

He stared down at her in shock at her impatience before smirking and chuckling softly. He dares to mock her? Now? Ooo the little imp, if Belle wasn't feeling so hot and heavy right now she probably would have smacked that teasing smirk right off of his smug face. "My my my, you are quite the little vixen sweet Belle of mine." Before she could protest, Rumple already began to ease himself back inside of her and her quick remark melted into a long moan.

He groaned softly as he buried his face into the crook of her neck and snaked his arms around her to hold her close as he felt her tightness engulf him once more. "This is going to hurt." He warned her as he manages to push himself up just enough so that their foreheads touched.

Gazes locked, Belle could only nod slightly, "I don't care. Do it."

"As you wish dearie." With that he plunged into her until she fully sheathed him. They both cried out in unison though one was from pleasure unlike never before and the other was from pain. He stilled within her, not daring to move for fear that the slightest friction would be enough to make him come apart. It was too early, not yet.

It was in this moment that both suddenly realized what it meant to truly make love. Having sex was nothing more than two beings letting out their wanton desires and then going about their daily lives. Making love, on the other hand, was so much more than that. So much more. To make love was to bare each other's souls to one another; to let down the walls that they had built around them and let the other person see them bare in every form of the word. It wasn't just about the physical pleasure but about the pleasure of the hearts and of the soul. Making love is an act that bonds not only the people together, but their hearts and their souls. To really, truly become one with the other.

Several heartbeats passed before Belle had the courage to shift her hips against his and winced at the sharp shooting of pain. Rumple groaned as he felt the movement and opened his eyes to look down at her. She dug her nails into his back and he instantly got the message. Slowly at first, he moved against her. Pulling out slowly and pushing back in equally slow. Soon enough the pain faded away only to be replaced with extreme pleasure. Belle threw her head back and gasped out his name as her hips began to move with more urgency.

Their breathing mingled with one another as they danced the dance of Lovers since times of old. Each touch, each sweet caress, each kiss and each heartbeat shared was a profession of their love for each other; of their undying devotion to one another, a promise of Eternity. A much older magic was at work here, the most powerful magic in the world sizzled and cracked in the energy around them. It enveloped them in its hot embrace and bounded the two together. Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were not made consciously aware of it then, but inside they both knew that they were now truly one and they could not live without the other.

He breathed out her name over and over again as he began to move faster within her, but was slowed because the pain in his leg was getting too much. He growled not only in pleasure but in frustration at his ailment. Belle seemed to notice and switched positions again, straddling him and never ceasing their rhythm. He cried out her name as he felt himself bury deeper within her and growled out her name as she began to rock her hips. Rumple moved up so his shoulders were leaning against the headboard and looked up as Belle threw her head back, baring her entire body to him for his view and oh God what a view it was. He gripped her hips and guided her in how to move, moaning out loudly as she moved against him.

Hungry eyes traversed her body over and over again through half lids before settling on her face, her face that was contorted with ecstasy. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth slightly agape and her chest heaving with every pant she made. It was the most beautiful and grand sight he had ever seen. And she was all his.

He moved up to wrap his arms around her waist and one of his hands splayed out across her back while the other grazed up to her hair and gently fisted her chestnut locks. His lips captured her nipples once more, sucking them and flicking his tongue over them as he felt her tighten more around him.

It was stirring within her again, building and building and with each stroke and lick that her lover gave her it grew more and more. It was demanding her, begging to be released and she felt so close to it now. She was so close. She began to pant his name, moaning louder now as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, one of her hands gripping his hair at the base of his neck. Oh yes she was nearly there! She had no idea how she knew, but this was going to be much stronger and more toxic than the one before. "R-Rum I-I'm going to - !"

He understood and looked up at her, panting heavily as he fought back his own release. He had felt it building within him but he fought it down for her. She had to reach the peak first before he ever could. "Come for me Belle." Those words were her undoing as her entire frame quaked and she cried out his name as the most intense feeling of pleasure washed over her entire body. She could no longer distinguish hot from cold, up from down or left from right. There was only the wave after wave of ecstasy she felt washing over her.

Rumple growled low in his throat before flipping her over and taking dominance once more. He didn't stop in the slightest and kept moving against her. Faster. Harder. Desperate as he worked to reach his own peak. "B-belle. O-open your eyes. Look at me." He said in between pants. Belle, though it was a struggle, did as she was told and was blown away by the intensity of his gaze. She smiled up at him and wrapped her legs around his waist to urge him on. She moved her hand and found his and laced their fingers together.

He pinned her hand beside her head as he felt his climax nearing. He was teetering over the edge and knew that at any moment he would soon fall. "I love you. I love you. I love you." He breathed out over and over again, keeping their gazes locked upon one another.

Belle kissed him repeatedly with a smile on her face. "I love you too. So much, so very much."

He groaned out once more, "I-I'm coming."

She nipped his lower lip and squeezed his hand. "Together."

He nodded and began to pound into her with pure and utter desperation. His leg cried out in protest but he didn't give a damn. If he didn't have his release now he was sure to lose all that was left of his sanity. Belle moved with him, staying in sync until finally white light exploded behind both of their eyes. They cried out each other's name as their world exploded with unexplainable, heavenly pleasure; stronger than anything they had ever experienced before.

One…three…and on the fifth thrust Rumple stilled, every muscle in his body tense as he felt his seed empty into her with uneven spurts. He felt light headed and grounded all at the same time. Both fell limp and Rumple buried his face in the crook of their neck as they fought to regain some control over their breathing.

Belle kept her arm wrapped tightly around him and held him close while her other hand squeezed his tightly. In this very moment they both finally felt complete. Felt whole once again. They were one, one heart and one soul. The very realization of that brought tears to her eyes as she moved to place a tender kiss upon his forehead. "I love you." It didn't matter how many time she said it, it never seemed enough. Those three simple words didn't seem to have the capability to truly convey to him what she felt.

Rumple felt very much the same as he lay atop her. He inhaled her scent, the air musky and humid from their love-making. He slowly pushed himself up and they moaned in unison as he pulled out of her. He then adjusted them so that they were lying beneath the covers, some of the smaller pillows having been thrown off the bed during the act. Their hands never parted as he pulled her closer and rested their hands in between them. He kissed her forehead, allowing his lips to linger as he allowed the beauty of this moment wash over them. "I love you always." He whispered into her hair, shutting his eyes as he took comfort and joy in just holding her like this.

She curled up against him and for the rest of the day the lovers simply stayed in bed and dropped into a comfortable silence. Belle curled up against him and their legs were tangled together as she rested her head on his chest. The sound of his heart beating seemed to now match her own heart and before long the soft sound put her to sleep.

Rumple glanced down at her sleeping face and smiled as tender, loving sensations rushed through him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered the True Love Potion that was tucked safely away in his study. He vaguely remembered his plan to go to the well and drop the potion in to bring back the magic.

A part of him remembered that Regina was still out there and he had a distinct feeling that Maurice would not give up in trying to take his daughter back. He should be worried, should be forming plans in his head. But as he gazed upon Belle and watched as her bare chest rose and fell slowly with each breath she took, he decided then and there that this was the only magic he cared about right now.

His own True Love.

His eyelids began to grow heavy and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep with his head resting atop of hers.

What was to happen now? Well, who truly knew what the future held? Both of them were a little scared, neither of them fully prepared but the profound truth is that they were reunited and they were never going to part again.

This Beauty and the Beast.

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**Author's Note:** Did anybody see what I did there at the ending? If you did, kudos to you! If you didn't then you need to read that again because it's pretty obvious what I did there.

Alright! In other news, yes due to popular demand I am writing a bonus chapter just for your viewing pleasure! It shall be up within a week's time and it is going to take that long because, as I've mentioned before, I hate typos and I re-read my work at least 500 times before I post it.

Again thank you to EVERYONE who read this, reviewed it and favorited it you guys are amazing and have inspired me to keep on writing!


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